April 4, 2006
The Fairfield University women's lacrosse team plays the final game of its three-game homestand Wednesday afternoon, at 3:30 p.m., when it hosts Columbia University at Alumni Field. The Stags, who snapped a four game losing streak on Sunday, enter the game at 4-6, while the Lions head into the contest at 4-5 overall.
The teams have a common opponent on the year, having both played Wagner. The Stags defeated the Seahawks 18-5 in Florida during Spring Break, while the Lions earned a 15-14 overtime win at home on March 8.
The Stags are looking for their first-ever win over Columbia, as the teams meet for the sixth time this afternoon. Last season, the Lions earned a 19-10 home win. The first meeting came in the season finale of the 1998 campaign, and was as close as could be, a 10-9 Columbia victory. The first road game in the series for the Stags was the following April 21, an 11-7 Columbia win. The next season, the teams met at the Disney Sports Complex with the Stags dropping a hard fought 9-4 decision in the season opener. After several years off in the series, the teams met in West Palm Beach, Fla., a 16-7 Lion win.
Fairfield enters the game at 3-5 in non-conference games on the year. The Columbia contest will be the final home non-conference game of the year for the Stags, who will wrap up the non-conference portion of the season next week at Holy Cross.
The Stags have one of the most potent offenses in the nation, scoring 11.0 goals per game, ranking 34th. That number is also good for third among the MAAC schools. Fairfield is averaging 12.9 draw controls per game, which is third in the league and 19th in the nation.
Senior Beth Loffredo has picked up where she left off before an injury cut her 2005 season to just five games. She leads the team in every offensive category, with 37 points on 26 goals and 11 assists. Loffredo is third in the MAAC in points per game, 40th in the nation, and ranks 3rd in goals per game, 45th in the nation. Loffredo has also picked up a team-best 25 groundballs and is third with 15 draw controls. Her 13 caused turnovers are also tops on the team.
Loffredo, who became the all-time leading goal scorer in program history against Yale, is also approaching the all-time points lead. She enters the week with 159 points, second on the list. She is now eight points shy of Jessica Conahan's (2001-04) school record of 167 points.
Abbey Goodwin continues to impress as a rookie, sitting second on the team with 25 points. In her first 10 games, scoring in nine of them, she has touched net 24 times. Goodwin is being closely chased by Ashley Chappell, who has 22 points, on 12 goals and 10 assists this season.
Rebecca White had a solid day in helping the Stags to an 8-6 win over Siena on Sunday. She touched net twice, dished out one assist, and recorded three ground balls in the win. She is now the sixth player to reach double-digits in points on the year, with 10, on eight gals and two assists. Sarah Masterson is fourth on the team with 12 points, eight goals and four assists, while Lara Hannigan has 11 points, on eight goals and three assists. Kylee Martin, another freshman, is knocking on the door of double-digits, with eight goals and an assist.
Laura Chatnik had arguably her best game as a college keeper against Siena on Sunday. She played the entire game, making 10 saves, while allowing only six goals. The 10 saves equals her best collegiate effort to date, and brings her season total to 54.
The Stags will head out on the road after the contest on Wednesday, heading to Western New York. Fairfield will play Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Lacrosse League foe Niagara on April 8, at 1 p.m., and will play Canisius at 11 a.m. on Sunday. The Stags are 1-1 in MAAC play, which is good for a four-way tie for third place in the league standings.
