The Youngstown State women's lacrosse team will wrap up their five-game homestand to begin the 2025 season when they welcome Butler to the Watson and Tressel Training Site on Friday evening. The opening draw is set for 6:00 p.m.

Fans in attendance will receive a Pete the Penguin growth chart, courtesy of State Farm, Compco, and 21WFMJ.

The game will also be broadcast live on the Youngstown State Penguins YouTube page.

Last Time Out

The Penguins are coming off a 13-10 loss to St. Bonaventure on Saturday at the Waston and Tressel Training Site.

YSU's three losses this season have been by a combined five goals (14-13 vs. Lindenwood, 12-11 vs. Duquesne).

It was a tale of two halves during the Saturday matchup between the Penguins and the Bonnies.

YSU scored three of the game's first four goals, including a quick 2-0 run by Sami Drew and Ava Kreutzer to give the Penguins the early advantage inside the first four minutes of the game. After holding their 3-1 lead, St. Bonaventure's offense would wake up, scoring the final three goals of the first quarter, giving the Bonnies a 4-3 lead through 15 minutes of action.

The second quarter was all YSU, as the Penguins would score four goals in the second period, while leaving the Bonnies scoreless through that 15-minute stretch of action. The final three goals of the second quarter for the Penguins were scored in a four-and-a-half minutes stretch (Claire Baenziger with 5:21 remaining, Ava Kreutzer with 4:08 remaining, and Grace Rund with 1:10 remaining). YSU would hold a 7-4 lead heading into halftime.

St. Bonaventure would come out of halftime with a third quarter offensive explosion, netting five goals inside of the first 10 minutes of the quarter, thrusting the score back to 9-7 in their favor. YSU would score their lone goal of the third quarter when Baenziger would take advantage of the Penguins being a player-up and score her second goal of the game and team-leading 11th goal of the season to make it a one-goal deficit with 4:54 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bonnies would score the last two goals of the third quarter and first goal of the fourth to make it a 12-8 score with 12:34 remaining in regulation. Like Wednesday vs. Duquesne, the Penguins would attempt a late-game comeback, as Mia Yuris netted her third goal of the season with 4:41 remaining, and Katir Grottenthaler would score her 10th goal of the season soon after with 2:54 left, but it was too little, too late. The Bonnies added one more goal with 24 seconds remaining, holding on for a 13-10 victory.

Baenziger and Kreutzer led the way for the Penguins with two goals each, while Lena Cox, Drew, Grottenthaler, Rund, Peck, and Yuris each scored one goal.

Grottenthaler and Genna Cooke each had four ground balls, setting a new career-high for both players.

Katelyn Hicks had 10 saves for the Bonnies, while Brooke Harper had eight saves for the Penguins.

About Butler

The Bulldogs come into the matchup with an 0-2 record on the season, coming off an 18-9 loss to Stetson on Feb. 9. This game will be the first for Butler in 19 days. They dropped their first game of the season to Oregon, 18-6, on Feb. 7.

In the Bulldogs' last game, the offense came alive early vs. Stetson, scoring five first-quarter goals, but then combining for just four goals over the next three quarters combined.

After falling behind 6-2 in the opening quarter, the bulldogs would fire off the last three goals of the quarter within the final 3:09 to make the score 6-5 at the end of the quarter.

After being outscored 4-1 in the second quarter, the Butler would cut the lead back down to four with 9:36 remaining in the third quarter after a goal from Katie Smyka made the score 11-7, but Stetson would then score the final two goals of the third quarter and first four goals of the fourth quarter, pushing their lead up to 17-7.

Butler would tack on two consecutive goals late in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to eight, but Stetson would answer with the final goal of the game, making the final score 18-9.

The Bulldogs' scoring was very balanced, as Maggie Lewis, Emma Palmer, Elise Latham, and Katie Smyka each scored two goals, and Makenna Evans added the other goal.

Alyysa Lentz had a quality game in the cage, corralling 13 saves.

Maggie Lewis led Butler with seven draw controls.

Bulldogs Stat Leaders Through Three Games

Points – Maggie Lewis (5)

Goals – Maggie Lewis (5)

Assists – Elise Latham (1)

Ground Balls – Alyssa Lentz (10)

Caused Turnovers – Gabby Mahaffey (2)

Draw Controls – Maggie Lewis (9)

Saves – Alyssa Lentz (22)

Series History

This will be the third all-time meeting between the Penguins and Bulldogs, with the series tied 1-1.  The last meeting occurred on Feb. 12, 2023, inside the Watson and Tressel Training Site, a thrilling 19-18 victory for the Penguins to open up the 2023 season.

Butler won the inaugural meeting on Mar. 27, 2022, a 12-9 victory at Varsity Field in Indianapolis.

During the Penguins win in 2023, Erin Clark netted the game-winning goal with just 14 seconds left to lift the Penguins to victory. Natalie Calandra-Ryan led YSU with five goals, while Clark, Abby Yesko, and Sydney Bumstead each netted three. Clark also had a team-high four assists.

A Win Would

• Give YSU a 2-3 overall record, as well as a 2-3 record at home this season.
• Be YSU's second win over Butler in program history.
• Improve YSU's record to 2-2 all-time against members of the Big East Conference.
• Improve YSU's record to 9-7 all-time in home games played at the Watson and Tressel Training Site.
• Give Head Coach Rob Harris his second win at YSU, and his 104th career win.

Penguins Rank Highly Across the MAC in Many Categories

Youngstown State has shined across the MAC in many statistical categories through early this season.

Caused Turnovers – 46 (1st MAC)

Goals Scored – 53 (T-1st MAC)

Scoring Margin – +1.0 (2nd MAC)

Ground Balls – 75 (3rd MAC)

Baenziger and Grottenthaler Lead the Offensive Attack

Freshman Claire Baenziger and sophomore Katie Grottenthaler have catapulted the Penguins offensive attack through the first two games, with Baenziger having scored 10 goals, and Grottenthaler nine.

Baenziger currently ranks third in the MAC in goals per game (2.75), while Grottethaler ranks fifth (2.50).

Baenziger also ranks third nationally in shot percentage (77%). She is the only freshman in the top-50 in this category.

A Trio of Guins Ranks Towards the Top in the MAC in Caused Turnovers

Tori Bustamante is tied for the lead in the MAC in caused turnovers (seven) and ranks second in caused turnovers per game (1.75).

Fellow Penguins Mackenzie Flannigan and Katie Grottenthaler are tied for third in the MAC in both caused turnovers (six) and caused turnovers per game (1.50).

Penguins Statistical Leaders

Points:

1. Lena Cox - 12

T-2. Claire Baenziger – 11

T-2. Katie Grottenthaler – 11

Goals:

1. Claire Baenziger – 11

2. Katie Grottenthaler – 10

3. Brooke Peck – 9

Assists:

1. Lena Cox – 5

T-2. Sami Drew – 2

T-2. Mia Yuris – 2

Ground Balls:

T-1. Katie Grottenthaler – 8

T-1. Genna Cooke – 8

3. Tori Bustamante – 7

Caused Turnovers:

1. Tori Bustamante – 7

T-2. Katie Grottenthaler – 6

T-2. Mackenzie Flannigan - 6

Draw Controls:

1. Katie Grottenthaler – 18

2. Genna Cooke – 13

3. Ava Kreutzer - 10

MAC Weekly Award Selections:

Lena Cox – Co-Offensive Player of the Week (2-18)

Katie Grottenthaler - Co-Offensive Player of the Week (2-11)

Tara McHugh – Defensive Player of the Week (2-11)

Roster Outlook

Youngstown State boasts a 30-player roster with 17 newcomers and just 13 returnees from the 2024 squad. Five of the 17 newcomers are transfers, while the other 12 are true freshmen.  Seven of the 13 returnees started in at least 10 games last season. The Penguins return five major statistical category leaders from last season, including the team's top attacker from last season, Lena Cox. Cox led the Penguins as a freshman last season in goals (25), assists (10), points (35), and shots on goal (44). YSU also returns Genna Cooke, who led the Penguins in draw controls as a freshman last season with 40.

Class Breakdown:

Freshmen (12): Claire Baenziger, Mary Gasper, Sami Drew, Lexy Koslakiewicz, Jacella Nephew, Meghan McGrath, Tara McHugh, Kaylie Moore, Stella Rohrbaugh, Bailey Doorhy, Liz Amos, Kara Goertz

Sophomores (10): Gwen Bogash, Lena Cox, Mackenzie Flannigan, Katie Grottenthaler, Tori Bustamante, Ava Kreutzer, Grace Rund, Brooke Peck, Mia Yuris, Genna Cooke

Juniors (5): Brooke Harper, Skylar Pigrom, Ally Garrett, Mia Stahl, Emma Hoffman

Seniors (3): Mia Kuzdzal, Molly Sheridan, Grace Manser

First-Year Transfers in Youngstown

Youngstown State was very busy during the offseason transfer portal window, bringing in five talented transfers to help complete this season's roster.

0 Brooke Harper (Jr.) – Previous School: Hood College

Harper started in all 31 games that she appeared in as a goalkeeper over her two seasons at Division III Hood College. She led the Blazers in saves in each season, totaling 117 saves as a freshman in 2023, and 112 saves as a sophomore in 2024. She had 10 performances over her time at Hood College where she corralled double-digit saves, including a career-high 14 saves twice.

She has appeared in all four games thus far, starting three of them. She currently leads the Guins with 16 saves.

3 Gwen Bogash (So.) – Previous School: Notre Dame College (Ohio)

Bogash burst onto the scene during her freshman season at Division II Notre Dame College in 2024, finishing in a tie for the team lead in goals on the season with 27, while also finishing second on the team in assists with 34. She had eight multi-goal performances on the season, including a season-high eight goals vs. Davis & Elkins on Mar. 27, which tied for the second-most goals scored in a game in program history.

7 Mackenzie Flannigan (So.) – Previous School: Kent State

Flannigan comes to Youngstown State after spending the 2024 season at fellow MAC school Kent State. She made one appearance last season vs. Cincinnati on Feb. 10. She was named to the Academic All-MAC Team.

She has started in all four games this season and is currently ranks in a tie for second on the team in caused turnovers with six.

12 Tori Bustamante (So.) – Previous School: Molloy University

Bustamante had a sensational freshman season at Division II Molloy University in 2024, as she was named the East Coast Conference Rookie of the Year. She appeared in all 16 games on the season, starting the final nine contests. Bustamante was a very versatile player for the Lions as she contributed both offensively and defensively, totaling 27 points on the season on 18 goals and 9 assists, while also ranking second on the team in ground balls with 35, and fifth on the team in caused turnovers with 18. She scored a goal in 12 contests, including netting a season-high four goals vs. Dist. Columbia on Apr. 20. She collected at least three ground balls in six games.

She has made a big impact off the bench for the Penguins through the first four games, as she leads the team and is tied for the lead in the MAC in caused turnovers (seven) and ranks second in the MAC caused turnovers per game (1.75).

34 Mia Yuris (So.) – Previous School: Notre Dame College (Ohio)

Like fellow Penguin Gwen Bogash, Yuris joined the Youngstown State program after spending the 2024 season at Notre Dame College. She started in her sole appearance of the season vs. Thomas More on Feb. 18, which was the season-opener.

She has accumulated five points for the Penguins through the first four games, having scored three goals while also dishing out two assists.

Schedule Outlook

The Penguins will play a 15-game schedule this Spring, with seven games coming at home and eight on the road. YSU will start their season with five straight games at home, including the next vs. Butler on Feb. 28. NOTE: All five home games to begin the season will be played indoors at the Watson and Tressel Training Site. The Penguins will then wrap up nonconference play with three-straight games on the road, visiting Wofford on Mar. 3, Gardner-Webb on Mar. 6, and Radford on Mar. 8. After the conclusion of their nonconference slate, YSU will play a six-game Mid-American Conference schedule starting on Mar. 16 at home vs. Akron, which will be the first of three home games vs. MAC foes. All home conference games will be played outdoors at Farmers National Bank Field.

Penguins Tied for Sixth in Preseason MAC Poll

Youngstown State was picked to finish in a tie for sixth in the 2025 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Preseason Coaches Poll, the conference announced on Feb. 5.

2025 MAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Robert Morris (4) - 34 points
2. Central Michigan (2) - 31 points
3. Eastern Michigan (1) - 26 points
4. Kent State - 18 points
5. Detroit Mercy - 16 points
T6. Akron - 11 points
T6. Youngstown State – 11 points

Tournament Champion: Central Michigan - 3, Eastern Michigan - 2, Robert Morris - 2

Guins Return Two Members of 2024 MAC All-Freshman Team

During a 2024 season where multiple young players saw significant playing time, Youngstown State boasted three members of the Mid-American Conference's All-Freshman Team at the season's end, two of whom have made their return to Youngstown for their sophomore seasons. Lena Cox, the team's leader in goals, assists, and points, last season, scored nine goals and dished out five assists in MAC play. Joining Cox on the All-Freshman Team was Katie Grottenthaler, who scored nine of 17 goals on the season during conference play.

Up Next

The Penguins will be back in action on Monday, Mar. 3, when they travel to Spartanburg, S.C., for a matchup with Wofford. The opening draw is set for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN+.

For news and updates throughout the 2025 women's lacrosse season, follow @YSUwlax on X .