University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Lax Announces 2012 Schedule
December 16, 2011 | Women's Lacrosse
Dec. 16, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. - In search of its fourth consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship title, the UMass women's lacrosse team will open its 2012 schedule on Wednesday, February 15 against Holy Cross. In all, the Minutewomen will play five straight home games to start the season and 10 overall. A trip in mid-March to defending NCAA Champion Northwestern highlights the non-conference portion of the schedule.
Following the season-opener against the Crusaders, UMass will host Boston University (2/22), Marist (2/25), New Hampshire (2/29) and Sacred Heart (3/4) at McGuirk Stadium.
After the game against the Wildcats in Evanston, UMass will then head to Albany (3/21) which was one of the surprise teams in the nation last season compiling an 18-1 record - the lone loss coming in the NCAA Quarterfinals against Northwestern.
UMass will then begin Atlantic 10 play on the road at Richmond (3/30) and George Washington (4/1).
The Minutewomen will host Saint Joseph's (4/6), St. Bonaventure (4/15), and La Salle (4/20) as the home portion ofthe A-10 schedule.
The Atlantic 10 Tournament will be hosted by Richmond on April 27-29.
UMass finished the 2011 season ranked 11th nationally in the RPI following a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament at Loyola (Md.). The Minutewomen posted a 17-3 overall record including a perfect 7-0 mark in Atlantic 10 play.
Five of the top seven offensive scorers will return for 2012 including Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year Katie Ferris who finished second on the team in points (72), but was the team's top goal-scorer (56). Ferris finished the year as one of the top freshmen in the country. Jesse O'Donnell, Nina Sarcona, Tanner Guarino and Danielle Pelletier all return, but the Minutewomen will be without the services of All-American Jackie Lyons who completed her senior year in 2011 with 41 goals and 32 assists to lead UMass with 73 points.
Defensively, UMass returns three of its top four back row players and senior goalie Katie Florence who was an All-Region pick and the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year. Seniors Riley Perry and Ali Houlis return to bolster what has been the top defense in the Atlantic 10 for the last three years. Kelsey Palmer also returns to the starting line-up with four-year starter Nazy Kerr being the only loss from the rotation.