MU Opens BIG EAST Play Against Villanova

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University women's lacrosse team opens BIG EAST play against Villanova at Valley Fields on Saturday, March 30. First draw is set for Noon Central time.

Marquette is 4-1 is league lidlifters since joining the BIG EAST in 2014 and holds a 16-23 all-time conference record.

The Golden Eagles set a program record with six BIG EAST victories last season, finishing 6-3 in league play and 10-8 overall. Marquette's final regular season game against UConn clinched its first-ever BIG EAST Tournament berth in 2018.

Following Saturday's first conference contest, Marquette continues league action on April 6 when it hosts Butler at 4 p.m. CT.

GAME DETAILS
Marquette Golden Eagles (6-6) vs. Villanova Wildcats (6-4)
Saturday, March 30 at Noon CT
Valley Fields (Milwaukee, Wis.)

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MARQUETTE (6-6, 0-0 BIG EAST): The Golden Eagles dropped their last two contests to Central Michigan and No. 11 Northwestern after winning three in-a-row on the road. Grace Gabriel totaled three goals over the last week to lead Marquette, putting her at 37 tallies on the season.

VILLANOVA (6-4, 0-0 BIG EAST): The Wildcats went to overtime in each of its last two games, falling to Richmond by a single goal on March 16 and defeating Columbia by a tally on March 19. Villanova is led by Devin Hassinger with 20 goals on the season.

SERIES HISTORY: Marquette and Villanova split the series history 3-3. The Golden Eagles have notched victories in each of the last three meetings.

GABRIEL GETS RECOGNITION
Marquette senior midfielder Grace Gabriel was tabbed the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Last season, Gabriel became Marquette's all-time leader in goals, shots and draw controls.
She set program records with 56 goals and 107 draw controls as a junior and earned BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year. The Lancaster, New York native was also picked as a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection in 2017 and 2018, alongside an IWLCA Second Team All- American selection.

GABRIEL ALL-TIME POINTS LEADER
Grace Gabriel became the Marquette women's lacrosse program's all-time points leader on Sunday, March 17 at Niagara. Her goal to begin the second half against the Purple Eagles propelled her past Claire Costanza's mark of 169 career points.

SOCCODATO HITS 100
Senior attack Cate Soccodato tallied six assists for six points on Friday, Feb. 15 against Cincinnati to propel her past the 100 career point mark. She's the eighth all-time Marquette women's lacrosse player to reach the feat. Current roster members Grace Gabriel and Charlotte McGuire also rank belong to the 100-point club.

MCGUIRE NOTCHES 100
Graduate student Charlotte McGuire became the ninth player in program history to reach 100 career points in Marquette's contest at High Point on March 16, 2018. She recorded four goals to surpass the mark.

CONTROLLING THE CIRCLE
Grace Gabriel set a single-game program record against Cincinnati with 17 draw controls, outdoing the entire Bearcats team total (16).

THIRD-EVER 2-2 START
The 2-2 start to the 2019 season is the third four-game even-record to begin the year for Marquette. Last year, the Golden Eagles went 2-2 before going on to a 10-8 overall record.

HITTING THE ROAD
Marquette's schedule also includes a month-long road swing spanning from Feb. 23 to March 21. The team will take on Kennesaw State and then opens March at Ohio State and High Point. The Golden Eagles then play Stetson, Canisius and Niagara during Marquette's spring break (March 10-17) before wrapping up the road swing in the Midwest at Central Michigan. Marquette also had a seven-game away stretch in 2017, where the team went 3-4.