March 31, 2006
The Fairfield University women's lacrosse team will open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Lacrosse League play this weekend with games against LeMoyne College and Siena College. The Stags will host the two teams, the Dolphins on Saturday at 11 a.m. and the Saints on Sunday at noon.
Fairfield enters the game with a 3-5 overall record, having lost its last three contests. The Stags are 0-0 in league action, and are searching for their fifth MAAC Regular Season title, and first since going 6-0 in league play during the 2003 season.
Senior Beth Loffredo became the Stags all-time leading goal scorer on Wednesday, in the Stags loss at Yale. She tallied the 120th goal of her career at the 22:33 mark of the first half, tying the record of Jessica Conahan (2001-04). She bested her former teammate on a free position shot with 4:48 to play in the game, and enters the weekend with 121 goals. She moved to 154 career points in the game, passing Colleen Cunningham (1998-2001) for second place all-time, and within 13 of Conahan's school record.
Loffredo leads the Stags in all three offensive categories, with 32 points on 22 goals and 10 assists. She is 15th nationally in points per game, 4.4, 24th in assists, 1.6 per game and 29th in goals per game, at 2.8 per game. Her team leading 23 ground balls also ranks 28th in the nation, 3.4 per contest.
 Beth Loffredo is nationally ranked in all three offensive categories.  |
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LeMoyne enters the game at 5-3 on the year and with a 1-0 mark in league play, having defeated Siena 8-7 on March 25. Five players are in double-digits in points, with three having reached 20 entering the contest. Leading the way is Whitney Vecchio with 22 points, notching eight goals and 14 assists. Liz Hewitt and Amanda Keegan have both put up 20 points, Hewitt with a team-best 14 goals, and Keegan with 13 goals and seven assists. Samantha Falcone is the Dolphins goalkeeper, having played all 420 minutes of action this season. She has made 66 saves, allowing only 55 goals, and posting a GAA of 7.86.
Siena enters the first full weekend of MAAC play at 1-7 overall and 0-1 in conference action, and will play at Marist on Saturday. Only two Saints are in double-digits in points, and just one in goals scored. Christina Pampalone leads the team with 14 points, as well as touching net a team-best 11 goals. Ryan Tierney is the other Saint with double-digits, putting up 12 in the first eight games, on eight goals and a team-leading four assists. Michelle Eide also has four assists on the year, to go along with her five goals. Bethany Zimmer has played all but 9:11 of the team's 460 minutes of action in goal. She has 68 saves, while allowing 101, posting a 13.44 GAA.
Fairfield was tabbed sixth in the preseason MAAC Coaches Poll, receiving 27 points from the coaches. LeMoyne earned five first place votes in the poll, earning 57 points, and was tabbed as the team to beat in the league this season. Siena picked up 15 points in the preseason poll, including one first-place vote, in being tabbed to finish in second place.
Fairfield will continue MAAC Lacrosse League play tomorrow afternoon, when it hosts Siena College at 12 p.m. The Stags will host Columbia on April 5, before embarking on a five-game road swing that will take them to Western New York for two games, to Holy Cross, Marist and Manhattan. Fairfield returns home for senior day on April 23, hosting Iona at 1 p.m. The MAAC Tournament is April 28-30 at Iona, featuring the top four teams from the regular season.
