WLAX Back in Action at Georgetown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Marquette women's lacrosse team resumes BIG EAST action on Friday, April 9 and Sunday, April 11 at Georgetown after a week off from games. Friday's game is set for 2 p.m. central with Sunday's game starting at 11. GUHoyas.com will provide live stats and a live stream.

The Golden Eagles (4-6, 1-3 BIG EAST) broke a four-game losing streak when they beat Villanova, 8-7, on Sunday, March 28 to get on the board in conference action. MU dropped Friday's game, 19-15, and two games against UConn in its four BIG EAST games in 2021. With six conference games to play, MU is tied for fourth place with Villanova. The top four teams in the league standings make the BIG EAST tournament.

For the first time since 2018, the Golden Eagles will travel to Washington, D.C. to play at Georgetown (3-5, 2-2 BIG EAST). MU is 0-3 all-time there, but have lost two one-goal games, including a 9-8 overtime decision on April 21, 2018.

In 2021 MU is characterized by a balanced offensive attack, led by seniors Caroline Steller and Megan Menzuber. Steller (35 points) and Menzuber (32) rank in the top 10 in the BIG EAST.

The Golden Eagles have nine players who've reached double digits in points and 13 who have contributed to the points tally in 2021. As a team, MU ranks second in the BIG EAST with 138 goals through 10 games in 2021.

Sophia Leva (4-5, 10.91 GAA, .477 SV%) has played the lion's share of minutes in goal this year and ranks No. 3 in the BIG EAST in save percentage and goals against average.

HOW TO FOLLOW:
Live stats and streaming for Sunday's game can be found at GUHoyas.com. Follow along on Twitter @MarquetteWLAX for live in-game updates.

GAME 1 DETAILS
Marquette (4-6, 1-3 BIG EAST) at Georgetown (3-6, 2-2 BIG EAST)
Cooper Field
Friday, April 9
2 p.m. CT
GUHoyas.com

GAME 2 DETAILS
Marquette (4-6, 1-3 BIG EAST) at Georgetown (3-6, 2-2 BIG EAST)
Cooper Field
Sunday, April 11
11 a.m. CT
GUHoyas.com

MARQUETTE: The Golden Eagles are in their ninth season in program history in 2020 under head coach Meredith Black. MU is 54-87 (23-25 BIG EAST) all-time.

So far in 2021, MU has started the season 4-6 after two one-goal losses at Cincinnati (20-19) and Central Michigan (11-10) and three decisive wins over Oregon (16-4), Kent State (19-8) and Central Michigan (15-4). MU got its first crack at a top-25 team when No. 19 Louisville came to town on March 14, but the Golden Eagles fell, 14-10. MU dropped its first two BIG EAST games to UConn on March 26 (14-13) and 28 (18-13) in addition to a 19-15 loss at Villanova for its fourth straight loss. The Golden Eagles bounced back with an 8-7 win to stop the skid on March 28 against the Wildcats.

Senior attackers Caroline Steller (27 goals, eight assists) and Megan Menzuber (23 goals, nine assists) have paced the offensive attack so far in 2021, leading the team and ranking in the top 10 in the conference in goals and points per game.

One of the most productive players in school history, Megan Menzuber continues to move up the school record book. She ranks No. 3 all-time in goals (110) and No. 4 in points (155). Steller ranks number eight in goals (67) and number six in assists (29).

Junior midfielder Emily Cooper has been one of the most productive players in the BIG EAST on the draw, collecting 59 on the season, which puts her in the top five in the conference and top-50 nationally.

A breakout season from senior goalie Sophia Leva (72 saves, .477 save percentage) has her as a mid-season candidate for All-BIG EAST honors.

GEORGETOWN: Ricky Fried is now in his 17th season at the helm of the Hoya program after serving as a Georgetown assistant coach in 2003 and 2004. In his first 16 seasons, Fried led the Hoyas to a 167-116 overall record (83-20 BIG EAST).

Freshman Kylie Hazen is currently leading the team in scoring with 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points on the year.

Graduate student Michaela Bruno is second with 17 goals and five assists, while junior Annabelle Albert and Lynch round out the top three with 15 goals and four assists as well as 14 goals and five assists for 19 points apiece.

GT plays No. 3 Syracuse on Tuesday to begin a five-game homestand for the Hoyas over the next two weeks.

The Hoyas had a week off following a tough weekend 0-2 weekend at then-No. 25 Denver. GT beat Nova twice, 19-11 and 18-8, two weeks prior.

KEY STORYLINES:

The Golden Eagles are 1-7 all-time against Georgetown, including 0-3 on the road.
In MU's last two trips to Washington, D.C., the Golden Eagles fell 9-8 (OT) in 2018 and 13-12 in 2016. MU lost 12-5 in its only other trip there in 2014.
Four of the seven games in the series have been decided by four goals or less.
Georgetown and Marquette are in third and fourth place, respectively, in the conference standings. The top four teams in the league make the BIG EAST tournament, and this weekend's contests will play an important role in seeding and standings.
MU defeated then-No. 24 Georgetown at Valley Fields on April 27, 2019 for its only ranked win in program history, 14-12. GT won the rematch a week later in the conference tournament, 17-10.
Megan Menzuber (3 goals) and Shea Garcia (2 goals) are the only Golden Eagles to score against the Hoyas. Caroline Steller and Madison Kane have tallied one assist against them.
Menzuber (155 points) became the fourth player all-time in program history to reach 150 points with a goal against Louisville on March 14.
Steller is just four points away from becoming the 11^th Golden Eagle to reach 100 career points.

LAST TIME OUT
• The Marquette women's lacrosse team went 1-1 in a two-game swing at Villanova on March 26 and 28. It lost the first, 19-15, and won the second, 8-7.
• Senior attacker Caroline Steller tallied four goals and an assist to pace the offensive attack for the Golden Eagles in game one. Junior midfielder Lydia Foust scored four goals, tallying her fourth hat trick of the season. Redshirt freshman Leigh Steiner tallied two goals with a pair of draw controls while Madison Kane had a couple goals as well. MU trailed wire-to-wire in the 19-15 loss on Friday.
• On Sunday the script flipped. Madison Kane and Hannah Greving scored two goals apiece to pace the Golden Eagles (4-6, 1-3 BIG EAST) in their first conference victory of the season. Greving scored the game-winning goal with 4:54 to play on a pass from Leigh Steiner and the MU defense did the rest, holding VU scoreless for the final seven minutes of regulation.
• Lindsey Hill had one goal and two assists while Shea Garcia, Megan Menzuber and Caroline Steller scored one goal each.

MU PICKED FIFTH IN BIG EAST PRESEASON POLL
• The BIG EAST Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll has 2019 regular-season champion Denver as the unanimous favorite to win the crown in 2021.
• DU was followed by 2019 champion Georgetown (21). Villanova landed in third with 15 points, while UConn was slotted fourth with 13 points. Marquette was tabbed fifth in the poll with 11 points, while Butler rounded out the list in sixth with five points.
• The Golden Eagles had two players named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, the third year in a row MU has had multiple players selected. This year's selections were junior midfielder Lydia Foust and senior defender Jocelyn Miller.
game.

GOLDEN EAGLES MOVING THEIR WAY UP THE RECORD BOOKS
• Megan Menzuber is No. 3 all-time in points (155), No. 3 all-time in goals (110) and No. 5 in assists (45). Zubes is five goals away from catching Julianna Shearer (115) for No. 2 all-time.
• Shea Garcia ranks 10th all-time at MU in goals scored (60) and shots (136) and ninth in shots on goal (110). She ranks 10th in assists (20).
• Caroline Steller (29) Madison Kane (26) moved into sixth and eighth place all-time in career assists at Marquette.
• Steller now ranks 8th all-time at MU with 67 goals. Her 96 points rank her 11th all-time and she can reach the 100-career point mark with four points this weekend at Georgetown.
• Jocelyn Miller is in eighth all-time in caused turnovers (53) and 10th in ground balls (81).
• Erin Dowdle is No. 4 all-time in DC's (107), No. 8 in CT (52) and No. 9 in GB's (81).
• Emily Cooper is No. 3 all-time in draw controls at MU (150).
• Jules Horning (442 career saves) overtook Sarah Priem '16 (426) for the school record.
• Jules Horning is in second place all-time at MU for career ground balls (136).
• Sophia Leva ranks No. 3 all-time in saves (183), No. 4 in saves per game (4.11) and No. 2 in goals against average (10.81).

MARQUETTE ACTIVE NCAA LEADERS
• The Golden Eagles have several players who rank among NCAA statistical active leaders.
• Megan Menzuber (110 goals) ranks No. 52 in the nation among active leaders.
• Emily Cooper (3.41) ranks No. 44 nationally in career draw controls per game.
• Sophia Leva ranks No. 30 nationally in GAA (11.17),
• Jules Horning ranks No. 13 in career saves (442) and No. 34 in saves per game (6.72).
• Jules Horning ranks No. 19 in career ground balls (136).

CAROLINE HAVING ANOTHER STELLER SEASON
• Caroline Steller enjoyed a solid sophomore season (2019) in which she scored 15 goals and dished out two assists. She played in all 18 games and started three.
• She had a sensational 2020, breaking out to lead the team in points (40) and assists (17) while putting in 23 goals.
• Steller won BIG EAST Attacker of the Week on March 2 after scoring six goals, dishing out three assists and picking up four ground balls in two games in Arizona.
• So far in 2021, Steller leads the team with 35 points (27G, 8A) and ranks in the top-10 in the BIG EAST in four different offensive statistical categories. She scored 10 goals in two games two weeks ago against UConn.
• She was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (March 22) for her performances against the Huskies.

SIX TRUE FRESHMEN SEE ACTION IN 2021
• Defender Audrey Brett is the only freshman to play in all 10 games, starting in three. She's tallied eight ground balls and caused four turnovers, which ranks ninth on the team.
• Sammy Galvin (one goal), Faith Chmielewski, Josie Kropp, Kelsey Koch and Kaitlyn Huber are the other MU freshmen to see the field this season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
• The Golden Eagles will host No. 22 Denver in their final home games of the season on Friday, April 16 and Sunday, April 18.