Women's Lacrosse | 2/11/2019 12:43:00 PM

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team will take the field Saturday afternoon in Kent, Ohio, to begin its 15th season of NCAA Division I play.

Before the Colonials begin their quest for a Northeast Conference championship, here are 15 facts and figures to help get acquainted with this year's squad ...

1 - Nine-point game in team history

On her way to First Team All-NEC honors, Pittsburgh native Shannon Lynch had a goal and a program-record eight assists last year vs. LIU-Brooklyn, the second-most points by a Colonial in a single game.

2 - Seasons with Silva in charge

Head coach Katrina Silva enters her second season leading the Colonials. This is her 13th Division I season as a head coach, after previous stints at Colgate and Virginia Tech.

3 - Consecutive winning years in NEC

Robert Morris has gone a collective 15-6 against Northeast Conference foes over the past three seasons. That makes eight out of 10 seasons over .500 within league play, with six postseason berths achieved.

4 - Iron women in the back

Four returning players started all 18 games last season, and all of them play defense: Juniors Shea McArdle, Kelly Colegrove (All-NEC First Team) and Madison Burke, plus sophomore Katie Martin.

5 - Man-up goals for Kerr

Junior Clio Kerr scored five times in 2018 with the Colonials on the man-up advantage. That total has been surpassed only once in program history, by Katie Breeze (eight) in 2016.

6 - Times the goals for Gandy

Junior attack Melanie Gandy boosted her output from four goals in her freshman year to 24 as a sophomore in 2018, tying her with Lynch for the team lead.

7 - Crouse's spot on the draw

Junior Meghan Crouse has controlled 94 draws in her first two seasons at RMU, climbing to seventh on the program's career charts. She ranks fourth in team history with 2.76 draw controls per game.

8 - Was great ... but there's more

Kerri Sayrafe, who holds the RMU record with eight goals in a game, is one part of a potent senior offensive trio. Sayrafe, Lynch and Sophia Eureka combined for 66 goals and 40 assists in 2018.

9 - Juniors on the squad

Of the 25 players on the team, nine of them belong to the Class of 2020. This group has participated in 20 wins so far at RMU, the second-best two-season stretch in team history.

10 - Rank on the defensive side

In 2018, RMU boasted the 10th-best goals-against average in Division I, ranking second in the NEC. The Colonials have set a new program record in this area in two of the past three seasons.

11 - Wins just a start for Miller

After presiding over 11 victories as a freshman in 2017, goalie Katelyn Miller set a new program record with a 9.58 goals-against average in 2018. Miller has started RMU's past 36 games.

12 - Stalwarts set strong foundation

In a rare luxury in college athletics, Robert Morris returns 12 players who appeared in all 18 games last season, with just three players lost to graduation last spring. 

13 - Scores in landmark win over Louisville

The Colonials earned their first-ever win against an ACC school last March when they downed Louisville, 13-12. Miller made a team-record 18 saves to preserve the win.

14 - Editions of a Pittsburgh rivalry

RMU will try to make it three wins in a row against Duquesne when the Dukes visit Joe Walton Stadium on March 6 to highlight the non-NEC portion of the schedule.

15 - Years of building tradition

Both the women's team and the men's team reach their 15th seasons of play this spring, further growing the reputation of high-level lacrosse in Moon Township.

Check out our social media accounts -- Instagram and Twitter -- as we count down the days to our 15th season! Follow the team year-round at RMUColonials.com.