Youngstown State University
Robert Morris
Lacrosse Set for MAC Battle with Robert Morris on Saturday
4/11/2024 2:24:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
The Youngstown State lacrosse program will battle Robert Morris in a Mid-American Conference contest in Moon Township, Pa. on Saturday. First draw is set for 3 p.m. at Joe Walton Stadium.
Gameday Info
YSU at Robert Morris
Scouting Robert Morris
The Colonials are 3-11 on the season with a 2-2 Mid-American Conference record. In conference play, Robert Morris defeated Akron, 10-9, and Kent State, 11-10, to start with a 2-0 record. The Colonials were then defeated by Detroit Mercy, 12-9, and Central Michigan, to move to 2-2. In non-conference play, RMU earned a victory over Queens, 13-8. Most recently, the Colonials were defeated by Pittsburgh, 19-2.
Jenna Irwin leads the Colonials with 23 goals and 27 points. Three other Colonials have scored in double digits: Lilli Hadden (16), Colleen Tifft (13), and Jerica Obee (12). Leading the team in assists is Tifft with eight. Jordan Anderson leads RMU in draw controls with 42 while Jenna Evans has caused the most turnovers with eight.
Two goalkeepers have split time in the cage: Megan Shepley and Sydney Riker. Shepley has made 67 saves and allowed 93 goals for a .419 save percentage. Shepley also leads the team in ground balls with 29. Riker has made 74 saves and allowed 106 goals for a save percentage of .411.
The Colonials are under the direction of first-year head coach Courtney Grove, who spent the past 10 years as head coach at Seton Hill.
Penguins vs. Colonials Series History
RMU owns a 7-1 advantage over the Penguins in series competition. The Penguins earned their win over the Colonials on April 30, 2022 by a margin of 19-17. In 2023, RMU defeated YSU three times with two regular-season victories, 12-10 and 12-6, and a MAC tournament victory, 14-8.
Brick Wall Borkowski
Freshman goalie Paige Borkowski currently ranks second in all of Division I in saves per game, averaging 11.38 saves a contest. Borkowski eclipsed the 100-goal mark just nine games into the season with 148 saves so far in 2024 across the team's 13 games. 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 also ranks second in all of Division I in saves
Borkowski has recorded double-digit saves in eight of the Penguins 13 games and currently holds a .394 save percentage. Borkowski has also grabbed 27 ground balls on the year.
By The Numbers
- Freshman Lena Cox leads the Penguins in goals (22), assists (8), and points (30). 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.
- Both Ava Kreutzer and Ally Garrett have scored 20 goals on the year. Kreutzer ranks second in points with 25, adding five assists to her 20 goals. Kreutzer has recorded an impressive shot percentage with 20 goals on 35 shots (.571). 31 of her 35 shots have been on goal (.886).
- Three other Penguins have also scored in double-digits: Grace Rund (12), Katie Grottenthaler (12), and Genna Cooke (11).
- Brooke Peck (7), Jade Shearer (7), Emma Hoffman (6), Molly Sheridan (2), Callie Vaudry (2), and Aryn Lohrey (2) have also found the back of the net.
- Kayla Stecker has led the Penguins defensively this season. Kayla has grabbed 28 ground balls and caused 22 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 YSU in draw controls with 32 while Mia Stahl (22) and Katie Grottenthaler (21) have recorded more than 20.
Conference Comparisons
- Youngstown State leads the MAC by a large margin in shots percentage with 123 of 287 shots finding the back of the net (.429).
- Lena Cox ranks eighth in the MAC in goals per game (1.69) and ninth in points per game (2.31). She also rounds out the top 10 in shots per game with a 3.92 average.
- Kayla Stecker ranks second in caused turnovers per game, averaging 1.69. Stecker also ranks sixth in ground balls per game with a 2.15 average.
- Paige Borkowski leads the MAC in saves per game, averaging 11.38. She also ranks ninth in ground balls per game with a 2.08 average.
Last Time Out
The Penguins moved to 0-13 on the season, dropping their final non-conference game to Binghamton on Saturday, 23-4.
YSU held the Bearcats to just six goals in the second half but couldn't overcome a 17-1 first-half deficit.
Jade Shearer scored two goals in the second half, both off free-position attempts, for her second multi-goal game of the season. Aryn Lohrey found the back of the net for the second time of her career. Ally Garrett scored the other goal for the Penguins as she eclipsed the 20-goal mark on the year.
Paige Borkowski made nine saves while a trio of Penguins caused turnovers: Kayla Stecker, Callie Vaudry, and Mia Stahl. Genna Cooke led the Penguins with three draw controls.
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 host Eastern Michigan in their final home game of the season on Sunday, April 21. First draw at Farmers National Bank Field is set for noon. Prior to the contest, the Penguins will honor six seniors: Alexa Beyer, Jocelyn Fike, Paige Jankowski, Aryn Lohrey, Grace Manser, and Callie Vaudry.
For news and updates throughout the 2024 women's lacrosse season, follow @YSUwlax on Twitter.
