April 18, 2006

The Fairfield University women's lacrosse team begins the final week of the regular season and makes a final push to qualify for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Lacrosse League Tournament. The Stags are 4-9 overall and 2-2 in MAAC play.

Fairfield holds its playoff hopes in its own hands, taking on three MAAC teams this week, two of which are in the hunt for the final two spots as well. The Stags start the week on Wednesday, when they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to take on Marist in a 4 p.m. contest. The Stags and Red Foxes are currently tied four the final play-off spot in the MAAC. The Stags then travel to Manhattan for an 11 a.m. game on Sunday. The Jaspers are 3-2 in MAAC play and in third place.

The regular season finale comes on Sunday April 23, when Fairfield hosts Iona. The Senior Day game, will begin at 1 p.m. Prior to the game the Stags will honor the members of their senior class, Beth Loffredo and Katie Voight.

Katie Voight, along with classmate Beth Loffredo, will be honored prior to the Stags regular season finale on Sunday.

Fairfield looks to reverse its fortunes this week, having dropped three straight contests, including one at Canisius. The Stags were awarded a win for the Niagara game, for MAAC standings only; the game will be a `no contest' in the program's record books, per NCAA rules. The Stags are also looking for their first road win, posting an 0-5 mark thus far in road contests. Fairfield is 3-4 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games.

The Stags enter the week averaging 10.3 goals-per-game, which ranks 42nd in the nation, and fourth in the MAAC. Fairfield is also 25th in the nation, second in the MAAC in draw controls, winning 12.38 a contest.

Leading the offense is Loffredo, who enters the week with a team-best 44 points. She leads the team with her 32 goals, as well as with 12 assists. Loffredo is tops on the team in ground balls, with 31, and caused turnovers, at 14, while ranking second with 23 draw controls.

Already the all-time school leader in goals scored, with 131, she is now one points shy of Jessica Conahan's (2001-04) all time points record, 167. Loffredo will also complete her career among the program's best in assists, draw controls, points and goals per game, as well as ground balls.

Rookie Abbey Goodwin continues to put up impressive offensive numbers as well. In her first 13 collegiate games she has notched 31 goals, which is second on the team and fifth in the conference. She is second with her 32 points as well. Goodwin continues to be accurate, putting 90.7 percent (49-54) of her shots on net.

The Stags have several others who have shown the ability to make the offense go.

Ashley Chappell is third on the team with 23 points, ranking second with 10 assists.

Ashley Chappell is third on the team with 23 points on 13 goals and 10 assists. Sarah Masterson also has 20 points, scoring 14 goals, while Lara Hannigan has 11 goals and four assists for 15 points. Rebecca White, who had three points against Holy Cross, is up to 14 points on the year, with nine goals and five assists.

Lauren Chatnik has taken over the goalkeeping duties of late, and has done well in her rookie campaign. She has recorded 88 saves in the 10 games she has played, in nearly 472 minutes of action.

The 2006 MAAC Lacrosse League Tournament is April 28-30 at Iona College, with the top four teams from the regular season qualifying for the event. The winner earns advances to an NCAA Tournament play-in game, against the champion of the Northeast Conference.