Moon Township, Pa. -- Robert Morris University women's lacrosse returns home to face St. Bonaventure in a non-conference game at 4:00pm Friday at Joe Walton Stadium, looking for the first win of the season. LAST TIME OUTThe Colonials traveled to Cincinnati and played a tight game with the Bearcats, jumping out to a 3-0 lead but falling 8-7. Corey Karwacki tallied three goals and Brittany Byerly scored the final two goals of the game including her second with :13 to play. Dana Davis scored twice to bring her season total to four.SCOUTING THE BONNIES2015 Record: 2-15, 1-7 Atlantic 10
Letterwinners Returning: 14
Newcomers: 6
Head Coach: Chelsea Rosiek (first season)
Goalkeepers: Morgan Conroy, Kerrigan Cummins
Defenders: Jalen Middlebrooks, Kristine Wallace, Aniesah Miller, Emily Foster, Kathryn Yoder
Midfield: LeighAnn Stauffer, Mary Maestri, Rylee Arnold,Taylor Fallon, Scarlet Jaworski, Maddison Appel, Olivia MacDonald, Erica Knaub
Attack: Mikayla Place, Rachel Perla, Molly Driscoll, Abby Lagoner
LAST MEETING
Kristin Yoviene netted five points (3g, 2a) and Corey Karwacki scored a hat trick against the Bonnies, while midfielders Dana Davis (2g, 1a) and Brittany Byerly (2g, 1a) checked in with three-point days of their own. RMU caused 13 of St. Bonaventure's 21 turnovers, with junior transfer Amanda Harrington forcing a team-high three. Senior defenders Kristi Marks and Haley Schemm combined to pick up nine ground balls.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. ST. BONAVENTURE
2005 16-2 Loss Home
2009 15-2 Win Home
2010 15-8 Loss Home
2011 13-8 Loss Home
2015 17-10 Win Away
ALL-TIME LEADER
Jessica Karwacki is the NCAA's all-time leader in draw controls, currently with 553 draw controls, recording a season-high nine in the season opener at Duquesne. Her career average is tops in the nation at 10.63 per game. This season, Karwacki is averaging 5 draw controls per game, first in the NEC and 18th in the nation.
NCAA Draw Controls Records
Game 24 Jessica Karwacki, Robert Morris vs. Howard, Feb. 28, 2015
Season 216 Jessica Karwacki, Robert Morris, 2014 (17 games)
Career 553 Jessica Karwacki, Robert Morris, 2013-16 (52 games, still active)
Draw Controls Per Game
Season 12.71 Jessica Karwacki, Robert Morris, 2014 (216 in 17 games)
NATIONAL RANKINGS
In addition to Karwacki, several Colonials are ranked in the top 50 nationally in a variety of career statistical categories. Brittany Byerly is ranked 31st in points per game (2.86), 31st in goals per game (2.10), 42nd in career goals (88). Corey Karwacki is 36th in goals per game (2.68) and 46th in career assists (41). Emily Jamison is 48th in career goals with 86. Dana Davis is 50th in caused turnovers averaging 1.35 per game.
As a team this season, the Colonials rank 19th in the NCAA in caused turnovers and first in the NEC averaging 10.33 per game. Dana Davis is third in the NEC and 24th in the nation in ground balls per game, averaging 3.33 per game.
WINNING WAYS
The Class of 2015 seniors departed with 36 wins to their credit, the winningest class in program history. The Class of 2016 has been a part of 29 victories thus far, needing 7 wins this season to tie that record.
PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
RMU is coming off back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in the 11-year history of the program, going 10-7 last season after an 11-6 mark in 2014. The Colonials have been at .500 or above for the past three seasons, starting with an 8-8 result in 2013.
Head Coach Katy Phillips returns six seniors to this year's squad including two-time All-NEC midfielder Jessica Karwacki. Karwacki, a senior midfielder, recorded 169 draw controls in 2015 to lead the nation for the second straight season.
Four of the top six scorers from 2015 will pace the Colonials offense this season. Corey Karwacki earned all-conference second team honors last season and is the Colonials leading returning scorer (37 goals, 22 assists). Karwacki's 59 points last season are the third-most ever scored by a Colonial. Now a sophomore, Dana Davis earned all-NEC rookie honors last season after scoring 22 goals and 11 assists. Davis also led RMU in caused turnovers with 22. Brittany Byerly (Wexford, Pa./Pine-Richland H.S) notched 53 points last season and ranks sixth all-time at RMU. Pittsburgh native and senior Emily Jamison (North Hills H.S.) posted 31 goals in her junior campaign.
Robert Morris loses 32.6 percent of its goal-scoring, 39.6 percent of its assists and 34.8 percent of total points from last season's roster, mostly in the form of graduates Kristin Yoviene and Emma Baukhages.
In 2015, RMU's offense scored an average of 13.79 goals per game on 28.6 shots per game. The Colonials were ranked 1st in goals, assists, points, shots and draw controls in NEC play in the 2015 season. Three Colonials players finished in the top 10 in the conference in goals and points, four of the top ten in assists.
Freshman Sarah Arnold will backstop Robert Morris this season. Returning on defense are juniors Megan Wolfgang, Megan Gold, Megan Yarberry and Amanda Harrington.
Robert Morris was picked to finish fourth in the Northeastern Conference preseason coaches' poll.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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