Women's Lacrosse | 4/17/2019 10:00:00 PM

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team returns home after two weeks away, hosting Northeast Conference rival Saint Francis on Friday afternoon in the Colonials' lone game of the week. This will be the first of three NEC home games for the Colonials over the next three weeks.

THE BASICS
ROBERT MORRIS (8-4, 1-2 NEC)
at SACRED HEART (2-10, 1-2)
Friday, April 18 at 3 p.m.
Campus Field, Fairfield, Conn.
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

at LIU BROOKLYN (5-8, 2-1)
Saturday, April 20 at 11 a.m.
LIU Field, Brooklyn, N.Y.
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

LAST WEEK
The Colonials notched their first NEC victory of the season, powering past Saint Francis 18-5 last Friday at Joe Walton Stadium. Senior Kerri Sayrafe one-upped her own program record with a remarkable nine-goal performance, but junior Melanie Gandy wasn't far behind with a career-high eight points on two goals and six assists. Junior defender Madison Burke starred as well, causing four turnovers and scooping up three ground balls.

HISTORY LESSON
Robert Morris has split the past six meetings with Sacred Heart, with the home team winning every one of those. The Colonials crushed the Pioneers last April at the Joe, winning 21-5 behind a six-point effort (3g, 3a) from then-junior Shannon Lynch. Two years ago, the Pioneers claimed a 16-15 home overtime victory, despite then-freshman Clio Kerr's hat trick.

The Colonials have won 11 in a row against LIU Brooklyn, including an 18-8 decision last year that featured dueling six-point games for Sophia Eureka and Melanie Gandy. Two years ago in Brooklyn, Sayrafe scored six as RMU held off the Blackbirds by a 22-17 count.

OPPOSITION RESEARCH
Under 19th-year head coach Laura Korutz, Sacred Heart dropped its first five and nine of its first 10. However, a victory over Central Connecticut two weeks ago kept the Pioneers viable to return to the NEC tournament after missing out in 2018. Freshman phenom Lydia Werlau paces SHU in both goals (31) and points (36), while junior Cassie Cesario is an all-around threat with 17 goals and 11 assists.

LIU Brooklyn collected its second NEC victory last Saturday vs. Sacred Heart, surviving a late Pioneers rally to win 16-15 in overtime. Twin sophomores Amanda and Rachel Masullo have lit it up for the Blackbirds, combining for 76 goals and 102 points. Amanda ranks 26th in Division I in goals per game and 30th in points per game; she has 13 goals and three assists in three NEC games.

TRUE FACT
Not only was Sayrafe's big game against Saint Francis the highest-scoring game in RMU history, it also tied for the most goals scored by a D-I player this season. Sacred Heart's Werlau matched that performance last Saturday, giving the NEC two nine-goal games in two days, after not having a single one for seven years.

SHE SAID IT
Senior midfielder Sophia Eureka on ...

Maintaining focus during the season's ups and downs: "Through both wins and losses, we're always looking forward to the next game. Obviously when we win, we're a little more confident. When we come back from a loss, we have to work a little harder that week."

Being one of 17 Maryland natives on the team: "It's funny because we all know everyone a little bit. I think Maryland girls have their own style in terms of how we play, so that helps us mesh a little better."

Whether the Colonials looked for Sayrafe more after her hot start last Friday: "I think we try to keep it on the game plan. We ran our same sets like we always do, Kerri was just there every time. We were like, 'Are they going to stop her?' We just stayed with the plan."

How RMU can reverse the results of its previous trip: "Stay with the game plan and know what our options are. On defense we've been pretty solid; we just played too much of it in those two games. Just continue to move as a unit on both ends of the field.

Watch the full interview here:


KNOW BOBBY MO
• Following three consecutive winning seasons in NEC play and five straight conference tournament berths, the Colonials return 12 players who competed in all 18 games last year. RMU was picked by league coaches to finish fourth in the standings.

• Through 12 games, Robert Morris ranks third among its NEC sisters in scoring offense (11.7 goals per game), third in scoring defense (10.3 goals allowed) and third scoring margin (plus-1.4).

• Junior goalie Katelyn Miller is on pace for the second-best single-season save percentage by a starter in program history. Her .504 mark through 12 games ranks 10th in Division I and would threaten the .508 put up by former Colonial Erica Webb in 2009.

• Junior attacker Mackenzie Gandy is putting together a special season, as she ranks third in the NEC and 77th in the nation with 3.67 points per game. If maintained, that rate would place Gandy fourth in program history; she already has RMU's ninth-best points-per-game season, at 3.11 as a freshman in 2017.

• Melanie Gandy is showing off her playmaking skill to a great degree in her junior year, averaging 1.83 assists per game, good for second in the NEC and 33rd in the nation. That would rank seventh in team history if she maintains that rate, just slightly behind twin sister Mackenzie's 1.50 two years ago.

• Junior defender Kelly Colegrove is again excelling in taking the ball away, as she ranks first in the NEC (and 10th in Division I) with 2.33 caused turnovers per game, the fourth-best single-season pace in team history. That exceeds her 2.00 CT rate from last season, when she was an All-NEC First Team honoree.

• Junior midfielder Clio Kerr is one of the top draw-control artists in D-I lacrosse, averaging 4.75 per game. That's currently third-best in the NEC and the best per-game rate in team history by someone not named Jessica Karwacki, who led the nation in draw controls per game in three straight seasons (2013-15).

• For more fun facts on this year's squad, the 15th in team history, 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.

IRISH EYES ARE SMILIN'
Kerr and assistant coach Cacki Helmer have been chosen to represent Ireland in the upcoming European Championship this summer in Israel. Kerr, whose father was born in Ireland, will be one of the youngest players on the squad, while Helmer will serve as head coach following a few years as an assistant for the national team.

HONOR ROLL
The following Colonials have earned NEC weekly awards this season:
Katelyn Miller (Defensive Player of Week - Feb. 18-24, March 25-31)
Mackenzie Gandy (Player of Week - Feb. 18-24, Feb. 25-March 3)
Clio Kerr (Defensive Player of Week - Feb. 25-March 3)
Melanie Gandy (Player of Week - March 11-17)
Kerri Sayrafe (Player of Week - April 8-14)

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

NEXT WEEK
The Colonials conclude their 15th regular season with a two-game homestand. Bryant will provide opposition next Friday, April 26, followed by Central Connecticut two days later.