WLAX Plays Season Opener vs San Diego State Sunday

Sunday, February 12

Milwaukee, WI

12 PM

Marquette University

San Diego State

WLAX Plays Season Opener vs San Diego State Sunday

2/10/2023 1:47:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Game Notes (PDF)Watch Live Stats

Golden Eagles return six All-BIG EAST players from last year's squad

By: Communications

MILWAUKEE — The Marquette women's lacrosse team (0-0, 0-0 BIG EAST) begins its 11th season this weekend as it opens the 2023 campaign against San Diego State (0-0). The Golden Eagles and the Aztecs will face off on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 12 p.m. (CT). Sunday's game will take place at the Valley Fields Dome in Milwaukee, and will be broadcast on FloSports with Peter Ferreri (play-by-play) and Megan Bianco (analyst) on the call. Links for live video and stats are available at GoMarquette.com.

Marquette enters the season with high hopes after a 2022 season which saw it tie for second in the BIG EAST and earn the 2-seed in the conference tournament, its highest-ever finish. MU went 8-10 last season with a 3-2 mark in league play, while a program record-tying six players earned All-BIG EAST accolades including first-teamers Lydia Foust and Mary Schumar.

Sunday's game will be the third all-time meeting between Marquette and San Diego State, the Aztecs winning each prior contest. Last season in San Diego, SDSU earned a 18-12 win over MU on the back of seven goals from former Aztec attacker Camdyn O'Donnell. The teams also met in Marquette's inaugural season in 2013, a 19-5 result in San Diego.

The Aztecs posted a 7-8 overall record in 2022, and went 4-5 on the road last season. Currently playing as an independent, they will join the Pac-12 in women's lacrosse next season. SDSU will play a road game at No. 16 Notre Dame on Friday before traveling to Milwaukee. Senior attacker Deanna Balsama led the squad in points (73) and goals (62) last season, ranking fifth in the NCAA in goals per game (4.13). San Diego state also returns goalkeeper Sam Horan, who started all 15 games last season with a 14.46 goals allowed average.

SCOUTING THE AZTECS

• In 2022, San Diego State finished the year with a 7-8 overall mark. Currently playing as an independent team, SDSU is set to join the Pac-12 for women's lacrosse in 2024.

• Before traveling to Milwaukee, the Aztecs will play at No. 16 Notre Dame on Friday evening.

• SDSU went 4-5 on the road last season.

• Senior attacker Deanna Balsama is the top returning offensive threat for the Aztecs, after leading the team in both points (73) and goals (62) last season, and ranking fifth in the NCAA with 4.13 goals per game.

• San Diego State returns seven starters while losing five from last year's squad.

• In the net, senior goalkeeper Sam Horan started all 15 contests last season. She held a 14.46 GAA, making 177 saves and allowing 214 goals on the year.

• The Aztecs scored 13.33 goals per game last season, while allowing 14.40. They ranked 24th nationally in caused turnovers per game (8.93).

• The squad is coached by Kylee White, in her 12th season with the program.

SERIES HISTORY VS SAN DIEGO STATE

• Sunday's matchup will be the third all-time between MU and San Diego State.

• The Aztecs have won both prior meetings, including a 18-12 result last season on March 15 in San Diego.

• Sunday's game will be SDSU's first ever trip to Milwaukee.

All-Time Meetings

DATE LOCATION RESULT SCORE

3/15/22 A L 12-18

3/14/13 A L 5-19

LAST YEAR'S MEETING

• San Diego State earned a 18-12 win over Marquette last year when the teams faced off on March 15 in San Diego.

• After going down 3-0 early on, Marquette responded with four-straight goals to take the lead, but that run was met with six-straight from the Aztecs. While MU was able to slow the scoring attack in the second half, it wasn't able to climb back into contention.

• While MU won the draw control battle 21-13, it also had 22 turnovers.

• Former Aztec attacker Camdyn O'Donnell went off for seven goals and an assist while taking 42 shots.

• Marquette was led by Elise Smigiel's three goals, while Kyra LaMotte, Emma Soccodato, Lydia Foust and Meg Bireley each scored two.

BUILDING ON LAST SEASON

• Marquette is coming off of one of its most impressive campaigns in program history, after finishing tied for second in the BIG EAST, its best-ever league finish.

• The Golden Eagles went 8-10 overall, and picked up momentum late in the year to secure the 2-seed in the league tournament with important wins over Georgetown and Villanova.

• The Golden Eagles return nine starters while losing just two from last year's squad, while 26 of 34 letterwinners are back for another go around.

BIG EAST HONORS

• Along with last year's team success, Marquette also placed a program record-tying six players on all-conference teams. All six return to the field this season.

• A pair of Golden Eagles earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST First Team in midfielder Lydia Foust and attacker Mary Schumar.

• Draw control specialist Mary Blee, attacker Shea Garcia, defender Ellie Henry and midfielder Emma Soccodato each earned second team honors.

• Foust and Schumar were each selected to this year's Preseason All-BIG EAST team.

2023 TEAM CAPTAINS

• Marquette head coach Meredith Black recently announced the players who will represent the squad as team captains in 2023.

• The group includes three seniors — defender Ellie Henry, midfielder Emma Soccodato and attacker Mary Schumar, along with junior defender Faith Chmielweski.

• This is Henry's third-straight year being nominated a team captain, and Soccodato's second.

WELCOME, NEWCOMERS

• Joining an experienced Marquette squad's 26 returning letterwinners will be nine newcomers, a group which includes eight freshmen and a transfer.

• This year's freshman class is comprised of midfielder Isabelle Casucci (Fairfield, Conn.), attacker Adrianna Commodari (Perry Hall, Md.), defender Maeve Dooley (Evanston, Ill.), midfielder Taylor Kotschevar (Eden Prairie, Minn.), midfielder Sayla Lotysz (Rosemount, Minn.), attacker Tess Osburn (Castle Rock, Colo.), defender Sofia Santana (Boca Raton, Fla.) and goalkeeper Ava Sprinkel (Severna Park, Md.).

• MU also welcomes in graduate defender Claire Conway (Bethlehem, N.Y.) as a transfer, a four-year starter at Detroit Mercy.

UP NEXT FOR MU

• Marquette travels to Ohio next week for a pair of games, facing Youngstown State on Friday, Feb. 17, before taking on Cincinnati on Sunday, Feb. 19.

• MU's next home game will be on Thursday, Feb. 23 against No. 4 Northwestern at 5 p.m. at Valley Fields.