No. 24 UMass Travels To Saint Joseph’s For Regular Season Finale Sunday

University of Massachusetts Women's Lacrosse Game Notes & Information
Game 15	No. 24 Massachusetts (12-2, 7-0 Atlantic 10) at Saint Joseph's (9-5, 6-1)
Date \| Time	Sunday, April 25, 2021 \| 12 p.m.
Location	Philadelphia, Pa. \| Sweeney Field
Watch	ESPN+ \| International Stream
Live Statistics	Sidearm Sports
Record Book	2021 Massachusetts Lacrosse Record Book
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassLacrosse
Instagram	UMass Women's Lacrosse
Facebook	UMass Women's Lacrosse

AMHERST, Mass. – Coming off its highest scoring output in program history, the Massachusetts women's lacrosse keep will look to keep that momentum going when the Minutewomen head to Saint Joseph's for the regular season finale on Sunday. Opening draw is set for 12 p.m. on ESPN+ as the Minutewomen currently sit one game ahead of the Hawks in the Atlantic 10 North Division standings.

High power offense
The Minutewomen are second in the nation averaging 17.62 goals per game this season, and have scored 19 goals or more in eight of the team's 14 games. UMass is also third in the country averaging 26.38 points per game, led by Haley Connaughton's 66 points (10th in the NCAA).

The offense stayed hot on Friday against St. Bonaventure, scoring 27 goals on the afternoon in a 27-2 victory over the Bonnies. The 27 goals scored marked the most in a single game in program history while the margin of victory (25) was the largest as well.

Much of this is due in part to UMass' draw control domination throughout the year. The Minutewomen average 18.23 draw controls per game (fourth-most) and have the nation's leader on the draw in redshirt senior Caitlyn Petro (13.00).

The series with Saint Joseph's
UMass is 28-2 all-time against the Hawks, including wins in each of the last 18 meetings. Earlier this season at Garber Field, led by six players with multi-goal games and a 6-0 run to start the second half, Massachusetts remained unbeaten in conference play with a 21-12 victory over Saint Joseph's on April 9.

Haley Connaughton led the way with eight points on the day (two goals, six assists), while Kelly Marra (five goals), Stephanie Croke (four goals, one assist), Caitlyn Cerasi (three goals, two assists), Maddy Moloney (three goals, one assist) and Olivia Muscella (three goals) all found the back of the net multiple times, while Croke also did the job defensively with two caused turnovers and five groundballs.

Streaking
Massachusetts enters Friday's game winners of 11 in a row. It's the first time since 2017, and sixth time under head coach Angela McMahon that Massachusetts has won at least 11 games in a row in a season.

Chasing history
Senior attack Kaitlyn Cerasi entered the 2021 season poised to rewrite the UMass record book. Cerasi, who has already left her mark on several single-season marks during her time in Amherst, is prepped to make a move up UMass' career records list this year.

Career Points
1. Katie Ferris – 330
2. Kaitlyn Cerasi – 294
3. Holly Turner - 280

Career Goals
6. Hannah Burnett - 156
7. Kaitlyn Cerasi – 154
8. Jackie Lyons - 143
9. Holly Turner - 137
10. Hannah Murphy - 135

Career Assists
1. Holly Turner - 143
2. Kaitlyn Cerasi - 140

Experience in the cage
UMass is currently 21st in the NCAA with a team goals against average of 10.15, led by the play of starting goalkeeper Lauren Hiller. The graduate student from North Andover, Mass. is 14th in the country with a 9.54 goals against average this season, while her .447 save percentage is good for 45th.

Minutewomen selected second in A-10 Preseason Poll
UMass was picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 in the preseason coaches' poll released by the conference on February 4. The Minutewomen earned 93 points, including four first place votes, in the poll trailing only Richmond (96 points, six first place votes), making the two squads the clear favorites for the A-10 title this season.

Petro named Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-American
Senior draw specialist Caitlyn Petro was named a Preseason Second Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse on February 1. Petro, who was named a Second Team All-American by Inside Lacrosse in 2020, led the nation in draw controls per game in 2020 with 11.2 wins per game, while her 56 draws in just five games played ranked in a tie for seventh in the NCAA.

Petro continues her draw control mastery in 2021 with 15 or more won in six games, including a career-best 21 during the Senior Day victory over Duquesne on April 18. She currently leads all of Division I women's lacrosse with an average of 13.00 won per game in 2021.

UMass welcomes Livvy Unglaub to women's lacrosse program through Team IMPACT
Ahead of the season opener, head coach Angela McMahon announced that 12-year old Livvy Unglaub has joined the Minutewomen as an official member of the program through Team IMPACT.

"We are very excited to celebrate a small all-star who is having a very big impact," McMahon said. "Livvy is a courageous 12-year-old from Feeding Hills, Mass. who has been diagnosed with TCell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which makes playing sports a challenge. However, we all know the life-changing benefit of team, and as such, UMass women's lacrosse has created a spot for her on our roster."

Livvy comes to the UMass women's lacrosse team through Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit that connects kids facing serious and chronic illnesses to college athletic teams across the country. As a member of the team, Livvy will be present at virtual team bonding events, and will be present at practices, games, team dinners and more when it is safe to do so.

Scoreboard

No. 24 UMass Travels To Saint Joseph’s For Regular Season Finale Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Hannah Burnett

Kaitlyn Cerasi

Haley Connaughton

Stephanie Croke

Lauren Hiller

Kelly Marra

Maddy Moloney

Hannah Murphy

Olivia Muscella

Caitlyn Petro

Holly Turner

Scoreboard

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