Women's Lacrosse | 2/19/2019 6:20:00 AM

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Fresh off its first season-opening win since 2014, the Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team aims for its first 2-0 start since that same season when Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference power Canisius provides opposition for the home opener.

First draw is set for 3 p.m. Wednesday at Joe Walton Stadium, where the Colonials will play eight home games in this, their 15th season of NCAA Division I competition. RMU went 5-3 at home last season, including a 3-2 mark in non-conference play.

COLONIAL WLAX PREVIEW
ROBERT MORRIS (1-0, 0-0 NEC)
vs. CANISIUS (0-1, 0-0 MAAC)

Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m.
Joe Walton Stadium, Moon Township, Pa.

LIVE VIDEO via NEC Front Row 
LIVE STATS via Sidearm

LAST TIME OUT
Robert Morris effectively played spoiler for Kent State's first-ever home game Saturday, squelching the Golden Flashes by an 11-6 count. Freshmen Kelsey Nelson (two goals, one assist) and Bailey Christianson (two goals) paced the Colonials' attack, which generated 36 total shots on a frigid afternoon in the Buckeye State. RMU led 4-0 through 20 minutes and 5-1 at halftime, then scored five of the final six goals to secure its first win of 2019.

HISTORY LESSON
The Colonials have never beaten Canisius, going winless in 10 all-time meetings. RMU faced the Golden Griffins yearly for the first decade of the program's existence, but this is the first women's lacrosse matchup between the two schools since 2014. RMU is 0-4 against Canisius at home, losing twice by a single goal at the Joe.

OPPOSITION RESEARCH
Canisius has collected 11 total MAAC championships since 2011 -- six in the postseason and five in the regular season. But last year was the first since 2010 that the Griffs didn't add a trophy to the case, as they fell to Fairfield in the league title game. Head coach Allison Daley's team lost 21-4 to No. 20 Notre Dame on Feb. 10 to open its season, with captain Jen Reininger recording a first-half hat trick.

WEATHER REPORT
Snow and mixed precipitation is expected Wednesday morning, with rain on the menu for the afternoon. Temperatures will peak around 40 degrees, with wind in the 10-20 mph range.

THEY SAID IT
"We aren't really treated like freshmen. The upperclassmen are so welcoming and helpful for anything, on and off the field." - Nelson explaining why she was able to hit the ground running in college lacrosse



KNOW BOBBY MO
• Four freshmen in all made their NCAA debuts Saturday at Kent State, with Emilie Kim (one goal) joining Nelson and Christianson on the scoresheet. Defender Elizabeth Engel also touched the field, recording two ground balls to tie for the team lead.

• Junior goalie Katelyn Miller made seven saves in the opener, her 37th consecutive start. She has the best goals-against average in program history (10.07), and her 9.58 in 18 starts last year established a new single-season RMU standard.

• RMU kept up its defensive prowess in the season opener, following up a 2018 campaign in which the Colonials ranked 10th in D-I with a 9.36 goals-against average. The attack got going late, but they'll want to improve upon a .031 shooting percentage vs. Kent State.

• The twin combo of Melanie Gandy and Mackenzie Gandy started well, with each netting a goal in the opener. Mackenzie added an assist for her 16th career multipoint game. Twelve of those came in her 56-point freshman year before she was limited to six games by injury last year.

• Seniors Sophia Eureka and Shannon Lynch picked up a goal and an assist each at Kent State. The two combined for 47 goals and 81 total points as juniors, so they'll be expected to lead the RMU attack.

• RMU was picked to finish fourth in the NEC in the preseason coaches' poll, with Bryant (first), Wagner (second) and Mount St. Mary's (third) rounding out the top half of the projected standings.

• Four returning players started all 18 games last season, and all of them play defense: Juniors Shea McArdle, Madison Burke and Kelly Colegrove, plus sophomore Katie Martin. All four played vs. Kent State

• The nine-member junior class is the largest cohort on the team. This group has participated in 20 wins so far at RMU, the second-best two-season stretch in team history.

• For more fun facts on the 15th season of RMU women's lacrosse, click here.

STERLING SILVA
Entering her second season in charge of the Colonials, Katrina Silva brings 12 years of Division I head coaching experience to the table. Before taking over the program in 2018, Silva served as an RMU assistant coach for five years and a volunteer assistant for one.

Previous to her time in Moon Township, Silva led the lacrosse programs at Virginia Tech (four years) and Colgate (seven), in addition to Division III Roanoke College. A goalie in her playing days, she was the 1993 Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year for Towson.

FOLLOW THE COLONIALS
In addition to reports and videos on RMUColonials.com, check out Twitter and Instagram for news and updates throughout the season.

NEXT UP
The Colonials will return to game action Wednesday, Feb. 27, when they host Liberty. First draw at Joe Walton Stadium is set for 3 p.m. Attendance is free.