| Date |
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 (11 a.m.) |
| Matchup |
#16 Merrimack (0-1, 0-0 NE10)
#7 LIU Post (0-0, 0-0 ECC) |
| Venue |
Bethpage Stadium // Brookville, N.Y. |
| Multimedia |
Live Stats // Video |
| Social Media |
@MerrimackWLAX // Instagram |
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – After nearly pulling off a major upset in its season opener on Tuesday before just falling short at home, the No. 16 Merrimack College women's lacrosse program will face another major regional foe when it travels to Long Island to battle the No. 7 LIU Post Pioneers in a matchup that could have major implications for the regional playoff picture. Game time from Bethpage FCU Stadium is set for 11 a.m.
Five Things To Know:
- Merrimack finished 2018 with a school-record 14 victories, most of them coming in emphatic fashion with five of them recorded against ranked foes. Their 10-win improvement from the prior season was among the best improvements in the country. Their five losses, meanwhile, were all against nationally ranked opponents, including the eventual league and national champions.
- The Warriors nearly pulled off a major upset that would have made noise in the region on their season opener on Tuesday, but visiting Mercy erased a five-goal second-half deficit by closing the game on a 9-3 run, as Merrimack dropped a 13-12 heartbreaker against the Mavericks at Duane Stadium. Still, despite the loss, the game proved that the Warriors had the firepower to run with some of the nation's elite squads and players.
- Senior captain Amber Feminella, who finished 2018 with a record-breaking season featuring a single-season school record of 91 points, picked up where she left off with a six-point outing in her season debut on Tuesday. She totaled five goals and an assist to lead all Warriors.
- On the other end, fellow senior Lauren Trepaney was rock solid in net despite taking the loss. A 2018 NE10 All-Conference Third Team honoree, Trepaney finished with 12 saves, stopping nearly 50 percent of the shots she saw.
- An NCAA Tournament qualifier a year ago, LIU Post was predicted to win its fifth straight East Coast Conference (ECC) title this spring. The Pioneers have been featured in the national preseason at No. 6/7. They welcome back 2018 IWLCA All-American junior duo Brianna Feldman and Alyssa Mallery, as well as 2018 All-ECC honorees redshirt-senior Carly Spano, junior Paige Sherlock, senior Trish Brisotti, junior Kendall Purdy and sophomore Jill LoManto. Merrimack has never defeated LIU Post in seven previous meetings, the last occurring on the road in 2013 (19-7).
Inside the Matchup:
| #16 Merrimack (0-1, 0-0 NE10) |
Category |
#7 LIU Post (0-0, 0-0 ECC) |
| 2/19 vs. #12 Mercy (L, 12-13) |
Recent Games |
-- |
| 12.00 |
Scoring Offense |
14.65 |
| 13.00 |
Scoring Defense |
9.05 |
| 12-21 (.571) |
Goals-Shot Attempts (Pct.) |
293-570 (.514) |
| 5-9 (.556) |
Free Positions Made-Att. |
60-112 (.536) |
| 16 |
Ground Balls |
313 |
| 19 |
Turnovers |
241 |
| 6 |
Caused Turnovers |
122 |
| 13 |
Draw Controls |
260 |
| .778 |
Clearing (Pct.) |
.841 |
Up Next
Merrimack will enjoy a 10-day respite before returning to action with a matchup at Division I UMass Lowell on Tuesday, March 5, in what could be the first of many meetings in the coming years when the Warriors eventually erclassify to the Division I ranks in the Northeast Conference (NEC). Game time from Cushing Field is set for 4 p.m.
