Youngstown State University
Central Michigan
Lacrosse Hosts Central Michigan in Conference Matchup on Sunday
3/29/2024 2:54:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
The Youngstown State lacrosse team will host Mid-American Conference foe Central Michigan at Farmers National Bank Field on Sunday. First draw against the Chippewas is set for noon.
Gameday Info
YSU vs. Central Michigan
Scouting Central Michigan
The Chippewas are 1-10 overall and 1-0 in MAC play, after narrowly defeating Detroit Mercy, 10-9, in their conference opener on March 17 to earn their first win of the season. The Penguins were defeated by Detroit Mercy on March 24 by a score of 13-8. In non-conference play, YSU and Central Michigan have faced two of the same teams, defeated by both Lindenwood and Cincinnati in non-conference play.
Skye DePrado leads the Chippewa's offensive effort with 20 points on 17 goals and three assists. Sadie Hinkle is the second-leading scorer with 11 goals and six assists while Reagan Martinsen (12) and Sandy Edwards (10) have both scored in double digits.
Jozy Allen leads Central Michigan at draw with 33 draw controls and has also caused the most turnovers with 12.
Goalie Alexa Martel has made 121 saves on 160 for a .431 save percentage. Martel also leads the team with 27 ground balls.
Head coach Emilia Ward is in her second season with the team. Ward led Central Michigan to an NCAA tournament berth last season after winning the MAC tournament. In 2023, the team finished with a 10-9 overall record and were 6-2 in conference play
Penguins vs. Chippewas Series History
Central Michigan owns a 3-1 advantage over the Penguins in series history, winning the most recent matchup, 15-8, on April 21, 2023. The Penguins split matchups with the Chippewas in 2022, while Central Michigan came away with the first program meeting in 2021.
Brick Wall Borkowski
Freshman goalie Paige Borkowski currently ranks second in all of Division I in saves per game, averaging 11.40 a contest. Borkowski eclipsed the 100-goal mark just nine games into the season and has 125 saves so far in 2024. Borkowski set YSU's single-game saves record with 20 against Stetson, which is tied for the second-most saves in a game by any Division I goalie this season.
Borkowski has recorded double-digit saves in seven of 11 games this season and owns a .399 average save percentage.
By The Numbers
- Freshman Lena Cox leads the Penguins in goals (21), assists (8), and points (29). Cox recorded career-highs of five goals and six points, all in the second half, in the Penguins' MAC Opener against Kent State on March 17.
- Freshman Ava Kreutzer ranks second on the team in goals (18), points (22), and assists (4). Kreutzer has recorded an impressive shot percentage with 18 goals on 31 shots (.581). 27 of her 31 shots have been on goal (.871).
- Sophomore Ally Garrett is third on the team in goals with 16 while Katie Grottenthaler has scored 12 goals while Grace Rund has scored 11 to round out the top-five Penguin scorers.
- Genna Cooke (9), Brooke Peck (7), Emma Hoffman (5), Jade Shearer (4), Molly Sheridan (2), Callie Vaudry (2), and Aryn Lohrey (1) have also found the back of the net. Shearer is tied with Kreutzer for second on the team in assists with four.
- Kayla Stecker has led the Penguins defensively this season. Kayla has grabbed 24 ground balls and caused 19 turnovers. Her six ground balls and five caused turnovers at Stetson were the second-best single-game marks in YSU history in both statistical categories.
- Genna Cooke leads a well-balanced draw control effort for YSU with 25 draw controls while Mia Stahl has collected 20 and Katie Grottenthaler 18.
Conference Comparisons
- Youngstown State leads the MAC by a large margin in shots percentage with 108 of 248 shots finding the back of the net (.435).
- YSU has two Penguins in the top-10 MAC goal scorers with Lena Cox ranking seventh (1.91) and Ava Kreutzer tied for ninth (1.64). Cox also ranks seventh in points per game (2.64) and fifth in shots per game (4.36).
- Kayla Stecker ranks second in the MAC in caused turnovers per game, averaging 1.73. Stecker also ranks seventh in ground balls per game with a 2.40 average.
- Paige Borkowski leads the MAC in saves per game, averaging 11.40. She also ranks eighth in ground balls per game with a 2.18 average.
Last Time Out
The Penguins moved to 0-11 on the season, 0-2 in MAC play with a 19-7 loss to non-conference opponent St. Bonaventure on Wednesday.
YSU and St. Bonaventure were tied, 5-5, at halftime, but the Bonnies scored 14 goals in the second half to come away with the victory.
Ava Kreutzer matched a career high with four goals while Katie Grottenthaler, Grace Rund, and Emma Hoffman also found the back of the net. Lena Cox and Hoffman each delivered assists.
Jade Shearer collected a career-high five draw controls. Molly Sheridan caused two turnovers and grabbed three ground balls.
At goal, Paige Borkowski made seven saves and recorded a .269 save percentage.
Harris at the Helm
Head coach Rob Harris took the reins of the Penguins in July of 2023 after nine impressive seasons as head coach of the Division II Davenport Panthers. In 2021, Harris delivered a historic season at Davenport, leading the team to its first NCAA top-25 ranking as well as a GLIAC (Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference) tournament finals appearance. During his tenure with the Panthers, he led the team to an impressive 70 percent win percentage (102-45), winning both an NWLL National and NAIA Invitational Championship in his career.
In August of 2023, Harris brought on experienced coach Taylor Woolard to his staff, who spent three seasons as the head women's lacrosse coach at Division II Converse University. Woolard serves as associate head coach of the Penguins. Further detailing the experience of the Penguins' coaching staff is Halle Bielke who served as interim head coach of the Penguins during the 2023 season and remains with the Penguins as assistant coach in 2024.
Penguins Tied for Fifth
In the 2024 MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Penguins were slated to finish tied for fifth with Akron with 13 points.
Kent State was slated to win the conference while Central Michigan was just behind in second. The Golden Flashes and Chippewas each garnered three first-place nods and tournament champion votes apiece. Robert Morris was slated to finish third in the 2024 poll and garnered a first-place vote and tournament champion nod. In fourth was Eastern Michigan just head of Youngstown State and Akron in fifth. Detroit Mercy was slated to finish seventh.
Up Next
Youngstown State will play in its last non-conference game of the season, travelling to face Binghamton in Vestal, N.Y. on Saturday, April 6. First draw is set for 1 p.m.
For news and updates throughout the 2024 women's lacrosse season, follow @YSUwlax on Twitter.
