Women's Lacrosse 2/15/2018 1:30:00 PM

RADFORD PREPARES FOR SEASON OPENER AT SAINT FRANCIS

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GAME INFORMATION

SERIES HISTORY

Saint Francis owns a 2-0 lead in the all-time series history
The Highlanders have faced off against the Red Flash in each of their first two seasons and will make it 3-for-3 this year
SFU earned a 23-8 win in the 2016 season opener and a 15-10 victory in the 2017 season opener

SETTING THE STAGE

Friday's contest at Saint Francis will serve as the 2018 season opener, marking the third season of competition for Radford women's lacrosse
The Highlanders jumped from one win in 2016 to six wins in 2017 and have even higher aspirations this season
If Radford defeats SFU on Friday, it will be the first season-opening victory in program history and will set the tone for the rest of the spring

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS
2017 Record: 6-11 (2-6 Big South)

Radford begins its third season under Head Coach Haley Marvine and assistant coach Julia Heaps
The Highlanders were picked to finish fifth out of eight teams in the Big South this season
20 players from the 2017 roster have returned for the 2018 season, including 14 who saw game action in 12 or more games
Junior midfielder Emma Rogers and sophomore defender Shea Swingle were named to the Preseason All-Big South team
Rogers is the Highs' top returning scorer, tallying 48 goals and 20 assists for 68 points a year ago
Juniors Adrian Rius, Callie Bonnel and Juliette Ruland found the back of the net 39, 34 and 31 times respectively last season to give the Highlanders even more scoring punch
Sophomore Jenny Davis and Maddie Mashewske split time in goal last season, combining for 179 saves
Three of the first four games for the Highlanders are on the road. Then they come home for six straight contests at Cupp Stadium in March

SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
2017 Record: 6-10 (1-6 NEC)

Kara Concheck is in her third season (second full season) as the head coach of the Saint Francis women's lacrosse program. She took over seven games into the 2016 season led the Red Flash to a program record-tying six wins in 2017
The Red Flash were picked to finish seventh in the eight-team Northeast Conference this season
They will be without midfielder Holly Lawrence, who graduated after setting the SFU single-season record for goals with 50 last year. She was named Second Team All-NEC
Senior attacker Sarah Mahon returns after scoring 44 goals and providing eight assists for 52 points in 2017
Senior midfielder Jessica Mazzur ranked fourth in the NEC with 46 ground balls and led the team with 16 assists last season
Juniors Ellis Hagan and Peyton LeConte return to the Red Flash defense after starting on the back line last year
Overall, the Red Flash return 10 players who appeared in 10 or more games last season
SFU will also play fellow Big South teams Gardner-Webb and Longwood as part of its non-conference schedule

UP NEXT

Radford welcomes Robert Morris for its home opener on Friday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m.
The Colonials went 11-7 overall and 5-2 in the NEC last season. They were picked to finish third in the conference in 2018
RMU dropped a 4-5 double-overtime game against Bucknell to begin the year

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Players Mentioned