University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Lax Announces Schedule; Seeks To Defend Title
January 15, 2010 | Women's Lacrosse
Jan. 15, 2010
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AMHERST, Mass. - Coming off its best season in 25 years, the UMass women's lacrosse team will begin the 2010 season on Feb. 6 against Northwestern as head coach Alexis Venechanos announced the team's schedule today. The Feb. 6 game in San Diego is the earliest start to the season in program history and will be a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament meeting between the two squads.
Along with preseason No. 1 ranked and five-time defending national champion Northwestern, UMass will also face NCAA semi-finalists Maryland (5/1) and America East Champion Boston University (2/24) which fell in the NCAA First Round to Syracuse.
The Minutewomen will keep several region rivalries alive in 2010 including meetings against Harvard (2/27), New Hampshire (3/3), and Yale (3/10). For the first time since 2004, UMass will also face Connecticut which is coached by former assistant coach Angela McMahon.
Five of the first seven games of the season will be played in McGuirk Alumni Stadium with Holy Cross on Feb. 17 kicking off the home slate.
Games at Stony Brook (3/13) and Albany (3/20) will round out the non-conference schedule.
Atlantic 10 play will begin on the road for four consecutive games as UMass heads to George Washington (3/26), Richmond (3/28), Temple (4/3) and Duquesne (4/9). The Minutewomen will close out the season with three straight home games against St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's and La Salle. The game against St. Joseph's will be a rematch of last season's dramatic overtime time win by UMass for the Atlantic 10 Tournament title and the league's NCAA Berth.
The Atlantic 10 Tournament will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, Pa. It will be hosted by Duquesne.
Following the A-10 Tournament, UMass is slated to play Maryland in College Park.
Entering her fourth season at UMass, Venechanos guided the Minutewomen to an Atlantic 10 Regular-Season title, the A-10 Tournament Title, and its first NCAA Berth in 25 years. Junior Jackie Lyons returns to lead the Minutewomen offensively after pouring in 44 goals and 27 assists last year and earning a spot on the U.S. Developmental Team over the summer. In all, UMass returns nine of 12 starters from last season. UMass posted an 11-8 overall record and a 6-1 mark in the Atlantic 10.
