Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team opens the 2018 season on home turf at Joe Walton Stadium as the Bucknell Bison come to town for a non-conference tilt.

GAME INFORMATION
Robert Morris (0-0) vs. Bucknell (0-0)
Saturday, Feb. 10  //  1:00 p.m.
Joe Walton Stadium  //  Moon Township, Pa.
WATCH LIVE (free)  //  LIVE STATS

2018 SEASON  |  Complete Schedule  |  Roster

SQUAD GOALS
The Colonials led the Northeast Conference in a variety of offensive categories last season: Scoring offense (13.28 goals per game), points per game (18.83), shots and shots on goal per game (30.83; 23.17).

DANGEROUS DEFENSE
Robert Morris had the top defense in the NEC and one of the NCAA's best, leading the conference in ground balls and caused turnovers, as well as being the nation's No. 2 team in caused turnovers and 4th in ground balls. RMU's scoring defense held opponents to an average of 11.00 goals per game, ranked second in the NEC.

DYNAMIC DANA
Senior Dana Davis is the definition of an all-around midfielder. Davis brings a balanced and determined style to the field. An all-NEC first team honoree last season, Davis scored 34 goals and six assists, despite missing two games to injury. The senior from Garnet Valley, Pa. collected 58 ground balls, grabbed 39 draw controls and caused 32 turnovers. Davis has earned league honors in each of her three seasons, an all-Rookie team member as a freshman and was named to the second team following her sophomore campaign.

Davis is among the NCAA's active career leaders in four categories: Ground Balls (4th, 154), Ground Balls Per Game (4th, 3.08 per game), Caused Turnovers (5th, 78), Caused Turnovers Per Game (14th, 1.56).

RETURN OF THE MACK
Sophomore attacker Mackenzie Gandy was one of the league's top freshman last year, scoring 56 points on 29 goals and 27 assists on her way to NEC all-Rookie team honors. Gandy impressed with her accuracy, recording a .754 shots on goal percentage. Gandy was second overall in scoring for RMU and 8th in the NEC.

QUEEN OF THE CAGE
Sophomore Katelyn Miller returns in goal to defend again for RMU after a successful frosh campaign. Miller posted an 11-6-0 record with a .442 save percentage (4th in the NEC) and averaged 7.83 saves per game (ranked 5th in the NEC).

CROUSE'S HOUSE
Sophomore Meghan Crouse is a force when it comes to possession. In 2017, Crouse was 5th in the NEC in draw controls (2.83 per game), and 16th in the NEC in caused turnovers, averaging 1.89 per game. Crouse is ranked fifth in career average for caused turnovers per game among active NCAA players and was an NEC all-Rookie selection last season.

SO FRESH
The Colonials welcome seven freshman to the program in 2018, including five from the state of Maryland, with one from Pennsylvania and one from Texas.

#1 - Goalkeeper, Mia Tornetta
#9 - Midfielder, Kelley Flynn
#11 - Midfielder, Madison Griffin
#25 - Defense, Katie Martin
#28 - Midfielder, Hannah Miller
#34 - Attack, Rachel Ward
#35 - Defense, Caroline Downham

WINNING WAYS
The Colonials have posted five consecutive winning seasons, with the last four resulting in trips to the Northeast Conference postseason tournament. Robert Morris holds a 49-36 record over the last five years. RMU went 11-7 overall last season and 5-2 in NEC play.

Last Five Seasons
2017: 11-7
2016: 9-8
2015: 10-7
2014: 10-6
2013: 8-8

Opponent Bucknell is coming off back-to-back winning seasons (2016: 10-8, 2017: 9-8) and back-to-back Patriot League postseason appearances, both coming under previous head coach Randall Swope, a former Maryland women's lacrosse standout.

NEW LEADERSHIP
The Colonials are under the direction of head coach Katrina Silva in her first year at the helm at Robert Morris, named to the role in December of 2017, after serving seven seasons as an assistant coach. Silva begins her 15th season as a head coach and has an overall record of 126-115, including stints at Roanoke (3 seasons, 1997-1999), Colgate (7 seasons, 2000-2006) and Virginia Tech (4 seasons, 2007-2011).

Eileen Ghent (Rutgers '13) and Rachael McKinnon (Denver '16) have both joined the Colonials staff as assistants.

Bucknell head coach Remington Steele is in his first season as an NCAA head coach, taking over the Bison program in the summer of 2017.

PRESEASON POLL
The Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team was tabbed for a third place finish in the Northeast Conference (NEC) women's lacrosse coaches preseason poll. Bryant was selected as the unanimous favorite to repeat as league champion, while Wagner was chosen second. Robert Morris is followed by Mount St. Mary's, Sacred Heart was picked fifth, Central Connecticut followed in sixth, Saint Francis U in seventh, and LIU Brooklyn in eighth to round out the poll.

GIRLS (WHO RUN THE WORLD)
Four members of the Colonials and Bison are part of women's national teams. RMU assistant coach Eileen Ghent is the head coach of Ireland's U19 squad. Bucknell head coach Steele heads up the Welsh senior team which also features Bison sophomore Tegan Warren, both first-time participants with the Welsh National team. Bison sophomore Sophia Klaber continues to represent the Belgian Senior National team, competing in the 2017 FIL World Cup. 


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