Women's Lacrosse | 3/26/2019 11:15:00 AM

 
THE STORY
• The Bloomsburg University women's lacrosse team looks to get back on track against visiting Seton Hill in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action Wednesday afternoon. The Huskies dropped a heartbreaking 9-8 contest to Millersville on Saturday, but sport an impressive 6-2 overall (2-1 PSAC) record on the season. Seton Hill enters Wednesday's contest at 3-5 overall, and 1-2 in the PSAC.

NATIONAL POLLS
The Huskies are ranked 20th in the latest Nike/US Lacrosse Division II National rankings released Monday afternoon, and are receiving votes in this week's IWLCA Division II Coaches Poll. Bloomsburg is the third PSAC team to appear in the Nike/US Lacrosse polls behind West Chester (4th) and East Stroudsburg (12th). The Golden Rams are also ranked fourth in the IWLCA Coaches Poll, while East Stroudsburg is ranked eighth, and Mercyhurst is ranked 24th. Defending National Champion Le Moyne holds the top spot in both rankings again this week.

THE HISTORY: BLOOMSBURG vs. SETON HILL
• Bloomsburg is 5-4 all-time against Seton Hill, including a thrilling 9-8 win over the Griffins a season ago. Goals from Seton Hill's Mackenzie Kilduff and Olivia Caragein would pull the Griffins to within on point with under two minutes remaining in the second half, but the Huskies defense had several key stops down the stretch to halt the comeback. Cailyn Gormley (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) had three goals to power Bloomsburg, while Grace Kelleher (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) added a goal and two assists in the win. Seton Hill's last win in the series came on April 2, 2016, at Steph Pettit Stadium.

THE HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
• Bloomsburg has won three of its last four games including impressive road triumphs over Mercyhurst, Shippensburg, and Chestnut Hill, but the Huskies are hoping to bounce back from a heartbreaking 9-8 home loss to Millersville on Saturday. A goal from Kirsten Wozniak (Oradell, N.J./River Dell Regional) tied it at 8-8 with under three minutes to play in the second half, but a game-winning goal from Genevieve Speights with just :39 seconds remaining gave the Marauders the upset victory. Midfielder Anna Dempsey (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) was magnificent for the Huskies despite the loss, tallying a game-high five goals on just eight shots, and three draw controls. Abby Bergman (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) chipped in two goals and an assist for Bloomsburg, while Wozniak had the Huskies only other goal. Angela DiPasquale (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) took the loss in goal, but accumulated 13 saves in the complete game effort.

• Senior Hannah Jaskuta (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area) leads Bloomsburg in points (29) and goals scored (21) on the season, and is just five goals away from reaching the 100-goal milestone for her career. Kelleher has been sidelined the last three games with an injury, but leads the PSAC in points per game (5.40), tallying 27 total points on 17 goals and a team-high 10 assists. Bergman has 13 goals, three assists, and a team-high 23 draw controls, while Dempsey has stuffed the stat sheet with 13 goals, four assists, 21 draw controls, and 12 ground balls. Kelsey Kilgallon (Spring City, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) has 14 points on eight goals and six assists, and Wozniak has three goals and six assists. 

• The Bloomsburg defense has been stifling in the first half of the season, leading the PSAC in caused turnovers (17.25) and ground balls (29.38) per game. Sophomore Tiffany Diachynsky (Barto, Pa./Boyertown Area) is second in the conference in caused turnovers per game with 2.50, while senior Abby Nocito (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) has recorded 20 caused turnovers and scooped up a team-high 28 ground balls. Delaney Schappert (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport South Manor) is third on the team in caused turnovers with 13, and Lana Paulo (Washington Township, N.J./Washington Township) has 12 caused turnovers and 18 ground balls. DiPasquale has been one of the best net-minders in the conference in 2019, posting a .600 save percentage and 7.75 goals against average (GAA) in seven starts. The junior leads the PSAC in saves per game at 11.57, and ranks fourth in the conference in ground balls per fame (3.86).

SCOUTING THE GRIFFINS
• Seton Hill is 3-5 overall, and 1-2 in the PSAC this season after an 18-10 loss to fourth-ranked West Chester Saturday afternoon. The Golden Rams out-shot the Griffins 35-19 on the afternoon, and forced 36 Seton Hill turnovers. Kilduff, Keagan Pontious, Jaclyn Frank all had hat tricks for the Griffins, while Hailey Jacobs got the start in goal and had three saves in the loss.

• Kilduff, Frank, and Pontious have been the catalysts of the Seton Hill offense this year, combining for a whopping 80 points through eight games. Kilduff has 27 points on a team-high 25 goals and two assists, while Frank has 27 points on 11 goals and a team-high 16 assists. Pontious has poured in 22 goals and four assists. Pontious adds 23 draw controls, 16 ground balls, and seven caused turnovers. 

• Jacobs has notched six starts in the net for the Griffins this season, and has a 2-2 overall record. Jacobs has accumulated a team-high 38 saves, and has a Goals against average of 15.00. Kyleigh Hessian has appeared in seven games for Seton Hill and has 30 saves and a 9.38 GAA. Emma Haley leads the team in caused turnovers (14) and ground balls (18), while Kate Kada has nine caused turnovers and 16 ground balls. Haley has been a draw control machine this season, ranking second in the PSAC in draws per game (8.00) and helping the Griffins lead the conference in draw controls per game (16.38) as a team.

LOOKING AHEAD
• The Huskies hit the road this Saturday to take on Edinboro. Bloomsburg returns home next Tuesday, April 2, to host Kutztown, before traveling to Lock Haven on April 10.  First draw with the Fighting Scots Saturday is set for 2:00 p.m.