| Elon (1-8, 0-0 CAA) vs. Hofstra (6-4, 0-0 CAA) |
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ELON, N.C. – Having battled through a tough non-conference slate, Elon University women's lacrosse will open its six-game CAA slate to close the regular season on Friday, April 6, when it meets Hofstra at 3 p.m. at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y. Friday marks the start of Elon's four season in the CAA. To date, it is 8-10 during the regular season against CAA foes.
TIME CHANGE
Please note the time change for Friday's game. Originally scheduled for 5 p.m. in New York, the game against the Pride is now set for 3 p.m. due to inclement weather in the forecast for the region this weekend.
ELON ON LAX SPORTS NETWORK
Elon's pair of regular-season games on Lax Sports Network come up in the next two weekends. First, Elon's game Friday at Hofstra will air on LSN. Next time out, the Phoenix will play on LSN at Rudd Field against Towson on Friday, April 13. Additionally, the CAA Championship semifinals and finals are set to air on LSN. The 2018 season marks the second year the CAA has partnered with LSN to expand the reach of CAA lacrosse.
THE SERIES
Elon has won two of the three meetings to date against Hofstra and has won each of the last two outings. Last season, Elon beat Hofstra 15-7 on Senior Day at Rudd Field. The year before, the Phoenix topped Hofstra 12-5 in New York.
SCOUTING HOFSTRA
The Pride owns a 6-4 record through 10 games this year. It was won each of its last three games against Columbia, Central Connecticut State and New Hampshire heading into CAA action after losing four of its previous five. Led by Alyssa Parrella's 49 points, the sophomore has scored a team-best 35 goals to go with 14 assists while also picking up 37 draw controls and 16 ground balls. Both Alexa Mattera and Katie Whelan have scored 20-plus goals for the Pride this season with Mattera netting 27 and Whelan 21.
LAST TIME OUT
Fighting back multiple times to tie No. 16 Virginia Tech on Saturday, March 24, Elon ran out of time in the end in dropping a 14-12 contest to the Hokies at Rudd Field. Virginia Tech opened the afternoon on a 4-1 run, but Elon battled back with a 5-2 run to tie the game at 6-all headed to halftime. Trailing 11-9, Elon tallied twice in 57 seconds to tie things at 11-all with 11:36 to play. But the Hokies answered with a 3-0 run to make it 14-11 with 93 seconds to play. While Elon scored with 61 seconds to go, it wasn't enough and the Hokies pulled out the win.
PACING THE NATION
With 165 career goals,
Stephanie Asher ranks ninth-best among active players nationally. The senior from Glenelg, Md., has tallied 25 times this year, including five in the season opener against Duke, five on March 1 against High Point, four against Stanford on March 4 and four against Coastal Carolina on March 18.
SUMMER'S COMING...
Sophomore midfielder
Summer Larese is tied for third on the team with eight goals this season. The Charlottesville, Va., native appeared in just five games last season and scored once. Ths year, Larese has played in all nine games and has come on strong in scoring seven of her eight goals in Elon's last six games.
DEFENSIVE STALWART
Alexis Zadjura became the second player in program history and the first field player to reach 100 ground balls in a career. Former Phoenix netminder Rachel Ramirez holds the program record with 338 from 2014-17.
CONTROLLING THE DRAW
Over the course of the last two games,
Stephanie Asher has pulled in 19 draw controls. With 10 against Coastal Carolina on March 18, she set a new program record for most in a single game. Her nine against Virginia Tech places second. Both totals passed Elle Hvozdovic's eight against Liberty on Feb. 21, 2014, in the team's second competitive game. Now with 45 this season, Asher's total stands as the second-most in a season in program history. It is only seven behind Hvozdovic's record of 52 during the 2014 campaign.
TEWAARATON WATCH LIST
For the second year in a row,
Stephanie Asher has been named to the Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List. Announced Thursday night, March 1, Asher is one of 50 players to initially be named to the list for the prestigious award. On the night of the announcement, Asher tallied a game-high five goals against High Point.
PRESEASON HONORS
Stephanie Asher became the first player in program history to earn Preseason All-America accolades when she was named an Inside Lacrosse honorable mention in early February. The recognition came on the heels of Asher and
Alexis Zadjura being named Preseason All-CAA honorees. Asher has now been a Preseason All-CAA honoree three years in a row and Zadjura was an honorable mention in 2017 before making First Team in 2018.
2017 TIDBITS
-Three CAA teams, including Elon, went to the NCAA Tournament. It marks the most in one tourney since 2001 when James Madison, Loyola (Md.) and William & Mary all went dancing.
-Two programs - Elon and Colorado - were added prior to the start of the 2014 season. Both teams went to the NCAA Tournament in 2017 in their fourth year of competition. Elon lost to Virginia in the first round and Colorado fell 13-7 to UMass, also in the first round.
-A year ago, Elon posted a program-record 13 wins. It also made its first trip to the CAA title game after beating second-seeded Towson on a
Stephanie Asher goal in overtime. Asher set the new program record for goals scored (58) and points (69).
UP NEXT
Following a lengthy break away from competition, Elon will return to action Friday, April 6, for its CAA opener at Hofstra. Opening draw against the Pride is set for 5 p.m. in Hempstead, N.Y.
--ELON--
