MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU women's lacrosse team begins its 21st season on Wednesday afternoon when it faces cross-town foe Duquesne. Faceoff at Rooney Field is set for 2 p.m.
 
NEW START
The Colonials will look to defend their 2024 MAC Championship under second-year coach Courtney Grove. RMU lost 14 players from last year's championship squad but added nine new faces onto this year's roster looking to make an immediate impact. Jenna Irwin and Chelsea Coleman return for their senior campaigns as they are the two leading offensive performers from last year's team. Irwin had a team-high 37 goals along with four-game winning goals. Coleman had a team-high 12 assists last season but her biggest impact came in the postseason where she was named MAC Tournament MVP after posting seven points, four goals, three assists, and two caused turnovers in two games.
 
DUQUESNE LATELY
The Dukes opened their 2025 campaign this past Saturday against RMU conference-rival Akron and would defeat the Zips, 12-11 in overtime. Akron held an 11-8 lead going to the fourth quarter but Duquesne stormed back and scored four unanswered goals to win their first game of the season.

RMU AND DUQUESNE HISTORY
The Colonials don't have much overall success in the history against Duquesne as the Dukes have a 10-4 advantage but RMU has won the last three games in the series. Last season, RMU controlled the tempo of the entire game and would defeat the Dukes 14-8 at Joe Walton Stadium. Colonials attacker Isabella Teal led RMU with four goals with six shots on goal. Chelsea Coleman led RMU with five points coming off of three goals and two assists. Sydney Riker stood tall in net and had a game-high 12 saves for the Colonials.

PRESEASON #1
The Colonials received four first place votes in the MAC, followed by Central Michigan who had two first place votes and was picked as the pre-season tournament champion. Eastern Michigan was tabbed to finish third with one first place tally. Kent State, Detroit Mercy, Akron, and Youngstown State round out the rest of the seven squads. This is the third time in the last four seasons that the Colonials have been picked as preseason favorites in the MAC with the other two recognitions coming in 2022 and 2023.

COMMON OPPONENTS
RMU and Duquesne each play Akron, Youngstown State, Mercyhurst and George Washington.
  
UP NEXT
The Colonials will remain on the road and battle Cincinnati in non-conference play on Saturday afternoon. Faceoff is set for 2 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN+.