Elon, N.C – The Elon University lacrosse team will continue conference play with a two-game road trip in the northeast, traveling to New York to take on No. 14 Stony Brook on Friday at 6:31 p.m. and Hofstra on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Elon, Stony Brook and Hofstra represent three of the four teams that won CAA openers this past weekend.
HOW TO FOLLOW
- FRIDAY AT STONY BROOK
- Live stats are available by CLICKING HERE
- The game will be broadcasted on FloSports for a subscription fee. To watch Friday's game, please CLICK HERE
- SUNDAY AT HOFSTRA
- Live stats are available by CLICKING HERE
- The game will be broadcasted on FloSports for a subscription fee. To watch Sunday's game, please CLICK HERE
- Follow the official social media accounts of Elon Lacrosse:
- Twitter - @ElonWLax
- Instagram - @ElonWLax
ABOUT STONY BROOK
- Stony Brook is 6-2 on the season, with two of those losses coming to top 15 teams Johns Hopkins and Denver. The Seawolves enter the game ranked No. 14 in the country.
- The Seawolves went 15-4 a year ago, including a perfect 7-0 record in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play. Last season was Stony Brook's first season in the CAA. They also won the conference tournament in their inaugural season.
- Stony Brook was picked as the favorites in the CAA preseason poll for the 2024 season.
- As a team, the Seawolves rank among the top 20 teams in the country in scoring offense, scoring defense, assists per game, shots per game, and points per game. One area of struggle for Stony Brook has been free positions, where they are only converting on 42.5 percent of their attempts.
- Ellie Masera is one of the nation's best scorers, averaging 4.62 goals per game, tied for second in the country. Her 8.25 shots on goal per game rank first nationally and her 6.38 points per game are fourth in the country.
- Head Coach Joe Spallina is 196-40 since taking over at Stony Brook for the 2012 season. He has led the program to four appearances in the NCAA quarterfinals, including each of the last two seasons. Prior to his time at Stony Brook, he went 73-2 in four seasons at Adelphi, winning three NCAA Division II National Championships.
SERIES HISTORY
- Elon and Stony Brook are meeting for the 2nd time with the Seawolves leading the series 1-0.
- The two programs faced each other for the first time at Rudd in 2023 with the Seawolves winning 17-5.
ABOUT HOFSTRA
- Hofstra is 4-4 on the season after winning the conference opener against CAA newcomer Campbell 13-10.
- The Pride went 4-12 a year ago, with a 1-6 record in CAA play.
- Hofstra was picked to finish fifth in the CAA preseason poll for the 2024 season.
- As a team, the Pride are one of the best teams in the country at protecting the ball, ranking 11th in the nation in fewest turnovers with 12.25 per game and 12th in clearing percentage at 92.3. The Pride has struggled in the draw circle, though, winning just 42.2 percent of draw chances.
- Hofstra graduate student Taylor Mennella was named to the Preseason All-CAA Women's Lacrosse Honorable Mention Team. Mennella had a strong season last year as she totaled 54 points on 31 goals and 23 assists, while also adding seven ground balls and four caused turnovers. She was the Pride's most potent offensive threat, leading the team in goals, assists, and points while playing in 16 games (15 starts).
- Shannon Smith, a three-time first-team lacrosse All-American who is among the most decorated players in the sport, is in her 12th season as the head women's lacrosse coach at Hofstra University. Smith became the ninth head coach in the history of the Hofstra women's lacrosse program in July 2012. She has coached the Pride to 88 wins in her 11 seasons. Her 88 wins are the second-most in program history.
SERIES HISTORY
- Elon and Hofstra will meet for the eighth time with Hofstra holding a slim lead in the series, 4-3.
- Last season Hofstra came out on top at Rudd Field with a 17-12 victory.
- The last time the Phoenix beat Hofstra came on the road in Hempstead in 2018, winning that contest 12-8.
LAST TIME OUT
- Elon University freshman MJ Santa Barbara entered Saturday's Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) opener needing eight draw controls against Monmouth to break the program's single-season record. Santa Barbara, though, took it one step further, with a new single-game record 15 draw controls. Most importantly, those extra possessions allowed the Phoenix to generate 39 shots in a 16-13 win over Monmouth to open league play.
- Elon and Monmouth combined to score 10 goals in the first period with the Phoenix building a 6-4 lead after 15 minutes of play.
- Sammy Fisher, Mikaela Buoscio, Kaitlyn Michaud, Cierra Hopson and Bridget Kelly staked Elon to an early 5-1 lead. Anna Hackett and Mackenzie Coleman added assists during the flurry as the Phoenix's balanced offense flexed.
- Four more goals were scored over the final two minutes of the first quarter but three of them came from Monmouth. Buoscio posted her second score of the period and Elon led 6-4 after one.
- The Elon defense buckled down, shutting out Monmouth in the second quarter. The Phoenix scored four times to take a 10-4 lead into the break. MJ Santa Barbara, Kailey McKenna, Hackett and Hopson all scored unassisted as Elon took control.
- The script flipped in the third quarter. Monmouth scored four straight and then closed with a pair of goals and Elon's comfortable lead shrunk to just one at 11-10 after three. Mia Zebley scored the Phoenix's only goal of the period.
- Elon, though, rebounded with the first three goals of the fourth quarter. Hackett scored on an assist from Zebley, followed by a Coleman goal on an assist from Fisher. Hackett then posted her third goal of the game with exactly 10 minutes remaining for the 14-10 lead.
- Monmouth tried to rally but Hopson and Hackett added goals for Elon and the Hawks got no closer than three the rest of the way.
- With the win, Elon has surpassed the overall win total and conference win total for the program from 2023. The Phoenix has not had more than five wins in a season since going 9-3 in 2021.
- Elon's 16 goals were the most for the program in a CAA game since a 17-12 win over William & Mary on March 30, 2022.
- Elon wins its conference opener for the seventh time in the 11-year history of the program and for the sixth time in 10 years in the CAA.
- With Santa Barbara's 15 draw controls, Elon led in the draw circle 24-9. At one point spanning the third and fourth quarters, the Phoenix won 13 straight draws.
- Anna Hackett led Elon with four goals and five points. It was her third hat trick of 2024 and her second five-point game of the season.
- Cierra Hopson had a hat trick as well with three goals. It snapped a two-game scoreless stretch for Hopson but is her third hat trick of the year.
- Elon outscored Monmouth 4-0 in the second quarter. The Phoenix has outscored its opponents 22-6 in the second quarter during its five victories and has been outscored 15-7 in the second quarter in four losses.
- Reagan Kuehn had a career-high five ground balls and tied her career-high with three caused turnovers, and extended her career-opening nine-game streak with at least one caused turnover.
- Elon outshot Monmouth 39-26, including 28-20 on goal.
- Elon's 39 shots tie for the fifth-most in a game in program history. The Phoenix had as many as 45 shots in 2014 against Kennesaw State.
THE CONFERENCE RACE
- Four of the nine teams in the CAA will qualify for the CAA Tournament May 2 and 4 at Stony Brook.
- Last weekend, eight of the league's teams opened conference play. Stony Brook, Drexel, Elon and Hofstra got off to fast starts with wins in their openers. William & Mary was the lone CAA team that did not play and remains 0-0 in conference action.
- Elon began conference play 1-0 for the seventh time in the 11-year history of the program and for the sixth time in 10 years in the CAA.
- Elon's only 2-0 start in CAA play came in 2021. The Phoenix did start 4-0 in conference play in the team's inaugural season, playing in the Atlantic Sun.
RACKING UP CAA AWARDS
- Redshirt freshman Ana Lee Vandiver was named CAA Player of the Week on Feb. 19 after finishing with six goals and an assist for Elon in their comeback win against VCU on Saturday. The six goals were just one shy of the program record.
- Freshman MJ Santa Barbara was named CAA Player of the Week on March 4 after leading a record breaking night in the draw control circle for the Phoenix. She finished with 10 draw controls, and as a team, helped Elon hold a 22-5 advantage in the draw circle. The +17 difference was the largest in program history.
- On March 18, Santa Barbara was named CAA Rookie of the Week for the second time. She had a record-breaking week in the draw circle, owning 24 draw controls over two games. She had nine in the midweek contest with High Point and then broke team and conference records Saturday against Monmouth. Her 15 draw controls were the most in a single-game in program history and in the history of CAA conference games. She entered the contest needing eight draw controls to break Elon's single-season record and she reached that total early in the third quarter. Following the week, she has 87 draw controls and counting in 2024.
- That wasn't all for the Phoenix, as sophomore Anna Hackett was named CAA Co-Player of the Week on March 18, after scoring six goals and adding an assist over two games during the week. After scoring twice against High Point, she had four goals and an assist in Saturday's CAA-opening victory over Monmouth. Three of Hackett's goals came in the fourth period after the Hawks had drawn to within one goal after three quarters. She scored the four goals on four shots on goal, and added two ground balls and a caused turnover during the week. Hackett is Elon's first CAA Player of the Week since Mae McGlynn earned the honor twice during the 2021 season.
MJ IN THE DC
- Freshman MJ Santa Barbara has made an immediate positive impact for Elon in the draw circle in 2024.
- Santa Barbara is averaging 9.67 draw controls per game, most in the CAA, and No. 5 in the country.
- Elon holds a .650 win percentage in draws in 2024, ranking No. 4 in the country. A year ago, the Phoenix had just a .451 win percentage and Elon has not been above 50 percent since 2021 (.523). Elon's best single-season draw record came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season when the Phoenix had a win rate of .620.
- In the end, winning in the draw circle gets the Phoenix more possessions, more shots, and ultimately more goals. Elon has outshot opponents 275-221 this year and outscored opponents 105-101.
BALANCED OFFENSE
- Thirteen different players have scored at least one goal in 2024, already more than the 11 who scored a goal in all of 2023.
- Elon has had seven players lead, or tie for the team lead, in goals scored over the course of the first six games.
- Anna Hackett and Kaitlyn Michaud each scored five goals in the win over Old Dominion, while five players tied with two goals each against Queens – Sammy Fisher, Mia Zebley, Hackett, Cierra Hopson and Mikaela Buoscio.
- In the win over VCU, Ana Lee Vandiver had a team-high six goals and Hopson posted four in the victory over Furman. Against Coastal, Fisher led the way with a hat trick.
- Against ECU, Fisher led the way again with five goals. At Virginia Tech, Fisher and Hackett led the way with two apiece, and Buoscio, McKenna, and Vandiver each added one goal.
- Against High Point, Michaud returned from an injury and led the way again for the Phoenix, scoring a career-high six goals.
- In their conference opener against Monmouth, 10 different players combined to score 16 goals, with Hackett leading the way with four goals.
- Hackett leads the way for the Phoenix with 22 goals, with Hopson in second with 17 goals. Fisher is right behind Hopson and is third with 16 goals. Michaud has 12 goals in just four games played. Vandiver adds nine, Busocio has seven, McKenna has six, and Zebley has five.
CONTROLLING THE CLEAR
- Elon ranks No. 15 in the country in clearing percentage at .919 on the season, ranking second in the CAA, only behind Hofstra at .923
- The Phoenix has been perfect on clears three times this season -- in games against Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina.
- With the .919 clear percentage (124-of-135), Elon is on pace to break its program record for a single season of .889, set in 2020.
RECORD WATCHING
- Even with MJ Santa Barbara shattering the single-season program record with 87 draw controls as well as the single-game record with 15 against Monmouth, Elon has some more program records in sight.
- Elon's .919 team clear percentage is on pace to break the program record of .889 in a season, set in 2020.
- Elon's .650 win percentage in the draw circle is pacing ahead of the program record .620 win percentage from 2020.
- Reagan Kuehn has 15 caused turnovers in 2024, already third-most by a freshman in program history. She is on pace to challenge the program record for a freshman of 24 set by Rachel Ramirez in 2014.
ELON AMONG THE CAA LEADERS
Listed below are Elon's ranks within the CAA heading into the second week of conference play:
TEAM RANKINGS (TOP THREE)
- Draw Controls - 1. Elon 16.89/game
- Shots - 2. Elon 30.56/game
- Women-Up Goals - 2. Elon 2.22/game
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS (TOP FIVE)
ELON AMONG THE NCAA LEADERS
Listed below are Elon's ranks within the NCAA through their first nine games:
TEAM RANKINGS (TOP 25)
- Draw Control Percentage - 4. Elon .650
- Draw Controls/Game - t12 Elon 16.89
- Clearing Percentage - 15. Elon .919
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS (TOP 25)
HACKETT EARNS CAA PRESEASON RECOGNITION
- Sophomore midfielder Anna Hackett was named to the 2024 CAA Women's Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference honorable mention team.
- Hackett played in all 16 games a year ago, starting each game. She finished second on the team with 32 goals and 34 points.
- She also set a program record by scoring hat tricks in five straight games during one stretch, ending the year with seven total games of three goals or more.
- Hackett ranked 15th nationally with a .625 free-position conversion rate (10-of-16) and was No. 67 in the country with a shot percentage of .508
- Hackett's 10 free-position goals were tied for second most in program history by a freshman and her 32 goals were fifth-most by a rookie.
TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED
- Head Coach Josh Hexter has named seniors Mikaela Buoscio, Kailee Follette, and Alex Belveal, along with junior Cierra Hopson as captains for the 2024 season.
- Buoscio is going into her third straight season as a captain. In 2023, Buoscio led the team with 15 caused turnovers and was fifth with 17 ground balls, and also had seven draw controls. She also tied the program record with seven caused turnovers in last year's season opener against Old Dominion. On the offensive side, she finished the year with four goals with nine shots on goal.
- Follette will be a team captain for the second consecutive season. She was tied for the team lead with 27 ground balls, adding 17 draw controls and seven caused turnovers in 2023.
- Belveal will be a first time captain after stepping into a bigger role in the 2023 season, playing and starting in all 16 games. She had 10 ground balls and six caused turnovers, committing just three turnovers on the season.
- Hopson played and started in all 16 games in 2023. She led the team with 34 goals, 11 assists and 45 points. She also had a team-high 74 shots and 56 shots on goal.
NEWCOMERS
- Elon welcomes 13 freshmen to the 2024 team, including four attackers, five midfielders, three defenders, and one goalie.
-- ELON --
