WLAX Plays BIG EAST Home Opener vs Xavier Saturday

Saturday, April 8

Milwaukee, WI

2:30 PM

Marquette University

Xavier

WLAX Plays BIG EAST Home Opener vs Xavier Saturday

4/6/2023 2:10:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

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Golden Eagles face Musketeers for first time

By: Communications

MILWAUKEE — The Marquette women's lacrosse team (11-1, 1-0 BIG EAST) looks to build on an eight-game winning streak and its best season in program history as it plays its BIG EAST home opener this weekend vs Xavier (4-6, 0-2 BIG EAST) on Saturday, April 8, at 2:30 p.m. CT at Valley Fields in Milwaukee. The game will be streamed on FloSports, with live stat and stream links available at GoMarquette.com.

Marquette set a new high mark for wins in a season on Tuesday when the Golden Eagles defeated Ohio State 13-12. Their current eight-game winning streak is the longest in program history. Versus the Buckeyes, MU came back from an early 4-1 deficit with five-straight goals to take the lead, then led the rest of the way. Lydia Foust went off for four goals, while Emma Soccodato helped MU control the draw circle with a career-high eight draws.

In its inaugural season of competition, Xavier enters the weekend with a 4-6 record and is off to an 0-2 start to BIG EAST play. Led by head coach Meg Decker, the Musketeers have lost three-straight games and are in search of their first ever conference win.

The Musketeers have been led on the field this season by attacker Lola Mancuso, a freshman who has scored a team-high 33 goals to go along with four assists. Riley Halloran, a graduate attacker who transferred from Vermont, has tacked on 23 goals and four assists as well.

Xavier averages 10.8 goals per game while allowing 15.8. In net, freshman Marina Piszczor has started nine games with a 3-5 record, and as posted a 15.82 goals allowed average with a .422 save percentage and 105 saves.

SCOUTING THE MUSKETEERS

• Xavier enters the weekend with a 4-6 overall record, and is off to an 0-2 start to BIG EAST play with losses to Butler and Georgetown.

• This is the inaugural season for the Bulldogs and head coach Meg Decker, who join as the seventh member of the BIG EAST for women's lacrosse.

• Most recently, XU suffered a 25-8 loss at home to Georgetown on Wednesday.

• The squad is led on the field this season by attacker Lola Mancuso, a freshman who has scored a team-high 33 goals to go along with four assists. Riley Halloran, a graduate attacker who transfered from Vermont, has tacked on 23 goals and four assists as well.

• In net, freshman Marina Piszczor has started nine games with a 3-5 record, and as posted a 15.82 goals allowed average with a .422 save percentage and 105 saves.

• Xavier averages 11.1 goals per game, while allowing a league-worst 14.8. It currently ranks ninth nationally in free position percentage (.553), and 18th in caused turnovers per game (9.67).

SERIES HISTORY VS XAVIER

• Saturday's game will be the first all-time between Marquette and first-year program Xavier.

• Marquette has a 30-30 all-time record against BIG EAST opponents.

LAST TIME OUT

• Marquette closed out non-conference play in winning fashion, taking down Ohio State 13-12 on Tuesday at Valley Fields.

• In what was the team's first-ever win against the Buckeyes and second against a Big Ten opponent, the Golden Eagles had to play from behind after getting off to a rocky start. MU faced a 4-1 deficit in the first quarter, but stormed back with five-straight goals to take the lead the rest of the way.

• Offensively, Marquette was led by Lydia Foust who went for four goals and a hat trick from Tess Osburn. Shea Garcia and Emma Soccodato each scored twice as well.

• Marquette's run was sparked in the draw circle, where it won 18 draws to OSU's 11. Soccodato recorded a career-high tying eight draws to lead all players.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

• After helping MU get off to a 1-0 start in BIG EAST play with a 14-12 win at Georgetown last Saturday, three Marquette players were honored by the league.

• Lydia Foust was named the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week after going for five points on four goals and an assist. She also recorded two ground balls and a caused turnover while taking four shots in the game.

• Henry anchored Marquette's defense and draw in the win to earn Defender of the Week honors. She totaled four ground balls, two caused turnovers, a game-high eight draw controls and a goal.

• Bireley was named to the Weekly Honor Roll after leading all scorers with a career-high six goals and helping to spark the team's comeback.

SCHUMAR CONTINUES TO MAKE HISTORY

• Mary Schumar continues to prove that she's not just one of the top facilitators in program history, but also in the nation this season.

• Against Ohio State, the senior attacker broke her own program record for assists in a season in just the team's 12th game of the year. She now has 44 on the year, passing the previous record of 43.

• She is also on pace to break her own single-season points record of 67, also set last year. She currently sits with 58.

• Schumar ranks second nationally with 3.67 assists per game, and she is just 10 helpers away from becoming Marquette's all-time career assist leader.

DOME, SWEET DOME

• While Marquette is undefeated on the road this season, its performance at home in recent years has been consistently stellar.

• Since the start of last season, the Golden Eagles have lost just two games in 13 games at Valley Fields, both to nationally ranked opponents. MU's last home loss to a non-ranked opponent was March 21, 2021 vs UConn.

• Since 2018, Marquette is a combined 29-13 (.690) in home games.

LYDIA LIGHTNING

• In her fifth and final year at Marquette, Lydia Foust continues to show why she's one of the best midfielders in the nation.

• The two-time all-BIG EAST First Team honoree currently leads the league and ranks 16th nationally with 3.3 goals per game. She ranks second in the BIG EAST, only behind teammate Mary Schumar, with 47 points this year, and also leads the conference in shots (8.75) and shots on goal (5.58) per contest.

• Foust has already earned four weekly honors from the league this season, including three BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week nods.

SUPER SENIOR SHEA

• When she plays this weekend against Xavier, Shea Garcia will become Marquette's all-time program leader in games played with 73.

• Taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility from COVID, she has been able to wear the Marquette uniform more than any other player in the team's history. Lydia Foust is close behind with just two fewer appearances.

• Garcia is also closing in on the program's all-time points mark of 199, set by Grace Gabriel (2016-19). Garcia currently has 191.

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

• With at least five games and likely more left to play this season, Marquette has already accomplished its best win total in program history, passing its previous mark of 10 set in 2018.

• The Golden Eagles are currently riding an eight-game winning streak. Before this season, they had never won more than five-straight.

• The team has also already set a record for road wins in a season with six.

UP NEXT FOR MU

• Marquette remains at home next weekend to host UConn on Saturday, April 15, at 11 a.m. inside of the Valley Fields Dome. The game will be streamed on FloSports.

• Links to live stream and stats will be available on GoMarquette.com