Up Next for SHU Women's Lacrosse
Saturday, April 24th
vs. Lawrence Tech Blue Devils %
WHAC Tournament Championship
1 PM | Southfield, Mich. | Blue Devil Stadium
This Week for the Saints: The 4-seeded Siena Heights University women's lacrosse team looks ahead to facing the 3-seeded Lawrence Tech Blue Devils in the WHAC Tournament Championship after winning the quarterfinal against Indiana Tech and the semifinal against Concordia (MI).
Head Coach: Alexa Matta is in her second season as the head coach for the Saints and currently has a 7-3 record. Her first season in 2020 as head coach was was cut short after just four games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Matta's familiarity with the WHAC came as a four-year starter for the Indiana Tech women's lacrosse team from 2012-16.
WHAC Tournament: The Saints have qualified for the WHAC tournament three times in 2014, 2018, and 2019 seasons since the programs start in 2011. Siena Heights is 2-3 in its first game of the tournament. SHU is 0-2 in the semifinal round of the WHAC tournament. This will be SHUs first appearance in the WHAC Championship in program history.
Lawrence Tech and Siena Heights have met twice in the postseason since the start of the program in 2011. Both of those games were in the quarterfinal round of the WHAC Tournament. Lawrence Tech won 19-11 in 2014 and 13-10 in 2017.
History: Siena Heights is 60-78 all-time in women's lacrosse. The Saints are 10-12 the past two seasons (2020 was cut short after just two games due to COVID). The team has had back-to-back seasons with a winning record in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference after a 5-4 campaign in the 2019 season and a 4-2 mark in 2018. The 2018 team made history as the first Saint women's lacrosse team to achieve a berth in the NAIA national tournament.
On The Road: The Saints are 4-1 in away games this season. They upset 10th-ranked Marian University winning 11-2. They lost to the 2nd-ranked University of the Cumberlands with a score of 18-4. They won against Lourdes (23-0) and Bethel (19-15). They won against Indiana Tech (16-6) on Tuesday in the opening round of the WHAC Tournament. SHU is 0-2 in road WHAC Tournament games.
Spectator Policy: This policy covers the following sports: baseball, lacrosse, football, softball, and soccer. Each Lawrence Tech participant (student-athlete/coach/support personnel) will receive two guest passes for each home game this spring. Social distancing (at least six feet apart and mask) are required. No other spectators will be admitted at this time (including current students, faculty/staff, visiting fans, and alumni). Spectators must wear a face mask (face shields are not acceptable) and adhere to the governor's executive order and the Lawrence Tech mask policy. No spectators will be allowed at any indoor lacrosse games at this time.
This Week Recap: Siena Heights 16, Indiana Tech 6
The Saints came out hot in the first half scoring seven-straight goals three from Jenna Sommerville for a hat trick, two from Alexis Nicole, one from Emily Pringle, and one from Madison Spell with assists from Marissa Cirino, Katherine Tapia, Emily Pringle, and Madison Spell. SHU went on to score five more goals for the 12-2 lead at the half as Marissa Cirino, Alexis Nicole, Madison Spell, and Emily Pringle scored goals with assists from Emily Pringle and Jenna Sommerville. Siena kept the momentum going earning two goals to start the second half as Madison Spell and Marissa Cirino found the back of the net. The Saints scored two more goals by Jenna Sommerville and Katherine Tapia to end the game with the 16-6 win.
Siena Heights 16, Concordia (MI) 11
The Saints set the pace scoring three straight goals in the first eight minutes of the game from Jenna Sommerville, Emily Pringle, and Marrissa Cirino. SHU gained a five-goal lead when Jenna Sommerville had a pair of goals with an assist from Alexis Nicole with 11 minutes left in the first half. Siena put two more goals up on the board at intermission with the 7-3 lead. The Saints were on a roll netting five straight balls from Jenna Sommerville, Katherine Tapia, Madison Spell, and Emily Pringle as Katherine Tapia, Madison Spell, and Marissa Cirino had assists. Each team respectively scored two more goals in the half making it a close game but Siena walked away with the win.
Players of the Week: Marissa Cirino was named the WHAC women's lacrosse offensive player of the week three times in a row. Two of those three she earned that award of the NAIA level as well.
Setting Records: Marissa Cirino tied the program record for most goals in a game with 10 in the game against Indiana Tech on March 20th. Katherine Tapia ties that record also with 10 goals against Madonna in the 2019 season.
Series History: Lawrence Tech is 6-3 overall this season and has a 4-1 conference record. The Blue Devils won the WHAC Tournament quarterfinal (20-6) against Bethel (Ind.) and the semifinal against Aquinas (20-6). This will be the first time the two teams meet this season as the regular-season game earlier in the season got canceled due to COVID-19. The last time the teams faced each other was in the 2019 season at Lawrence Tech when the Saints lost 13-10 on Saturday, March 23rd.
Scouting Report: A. Sherry leads the team in goals (30), assists (17), points (47), and shots (55). Belle Van Buren has the most ground balls (38). Kady Waits leads in draw controls (42). Abby Barnewold leads the team in caused turnovers (26). D. Coggin leads in net with 27 saves and a save percentage of 37.5 percent.
