PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Robert Morris women's lacrosse team looks to get into the win column this week with a pair of showdowns against Detroit Mercy and Bucknell.
GAME #3
Robert Morris (0-2) vs. Detroit Mercy (0-1)
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
1:00 p.m. | Moon Township, Pa. | Joe Walton Stadium
TV: YouTube | Live Stats
GAME #4
Robert Morris (0-2) at Bucknell (0-1)
Saturday, February 26, 2022
TBA | Lewisburg, Pa. | Holmes Stadium
Live Stats
LAST TIME OUT
The Colonials saw their 17-game home win streak snapped last Saturday at the hands of the Canisius Golden Griffins, dropping a 16-11 decision during their home opener. Gianna Anthony led the way for RMU offensively with a career-best four-goal performance in the loss.
SERIES HISTORY
The Colonials are 6-1 lifetime against the Titans in a rivalry that dates back to the 2013 campaign. A frequent non-conference foe of the Colonials in years past, RMU and DM met twice last season for the first time as members of the inaugural MAC conference. The Colonials handled the Titans easily in both of those showdowns, earning 19-5 and 21-5 victories en route to their first ever MAC Championship. Junior mid Colleen Tifft scored a pair of goals in both of those matchups against the Titans.
Bucknell has also been a long-time non-conference foe of the Colonials, with the two schools having faced off nine times in the last 15 seasons. Though RMU holds the advantage in the lifetime series 5-4 and has won each their last two against the Bison, every matchup has been close: four games have been decided by just one goal and all nine by three goals or fewer including a 5-4 double overtime loss at the Joe in 2018.
SCOUTING REPORT
The Titans finished 2-8 a year ago against an all-MAC schedule, with both wins coming back-to-back against Akron and Youngstown State. Picked to finish seventh in the MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, DM returns senior mid Taylor Cantelon as the centerpiece of their offense in 2022 that also returns nine of their top ten scorers from a year ago. They sit at 0-1 on the season after taking a 23-2 drubbing at the hands of the #23 Michigan Wolverines last weekend.
Bucknell, meanwhile, is coming off of a 2021 campaign that saw them finish 3-6 overall and 3-5 in Patriot League play. Before Canisius took down RMU at the Joe last Saturday, they headed west to deal another loss to the Bison, taking down Bucknell 14-12 on February 12 in the Bison's only game so far this season. Junior mid Ella Payer earned Second Team All-Patriot League accolades as a sophomore last spring after leading the team with 24 draw controls.
SEASON FIRSTS
The Colonials saw a number of new career milestones in the loss against Canisius. Gianna Anthony scored her first of the season and finished with a career-best four goals. Jenna Irwin, Julia Koterwas, and Kelley Flynn all found the back of the net for the first time this season as well. For the freshman Irwin, the goal was the first of her NCAA career in just her second career game, while freshman Chelsea Coleman picked up her first collegiate point with an assist. Junior Jerica Obee recorded her first multi-point game for RMU with two goals and an assist.
MACTION
Wednesday also marks the debut of conference play for the Colonials when they take on fellow HL foe Detroit Mercy. The Colonials went a perfect 10-0 in MAC play a year ago and will be looking to repeat as the top seed heading into the very first MAC women's lacrosse tournament in May.
BUILDING BLOCKS
Despite the senior departures, the Colonials still return a number of key pieces from their 2021 championship campaign. Junior mid Jordan Anderson is back after a season that saw her dominate as part of RMU's draw control unit, earning All-MAC First Team honors in the process. Also returning is MAC second-team attacker Kelley Flynn, second-team midfielder Colleen Tifft, and veteran defender Madison Griffin. Tifft is RMU's leading returning scorer after a 2021 campaign that saw her post 15 goals and 28 points in 17 appearances.
BEHIND THE BENCH
Reigning MAC Coach of the Year Katrina Silva returns for her fifth season at the helm of the Colonials as head coach and tenth overall with the program. Owning a 40-20 career mark at RMU including 20-4 in conference play, Silva is joined by the returning Cacki Helmer as assistant coach, as well as first-year assistant Shea Swartwout. Swartwout recently wrapped up her playing career in the spring of 2021 after five years as a midfielder for Niagara University.
NEXT UP
RMU kicks off a three-game road swing starting next Wednesday, March 2 when they take on Kent State before closing things out with trips to Liberty and Akron.
