Elon, N.C. – The Elon University lacrosse team returns home Saturday to host Drexel in a pivotal Coastal Athletic Association match-up as the Phoenix look to rebound after a two-game road swing through New York this past weekend.
At 5-6 on the season and 1-2 in CAA play, Elon looks for a victory against one of three CAA unbeatens as Drexel enters at 7-3 overall and 2-0 in conference action. The Phoenix has already faced the other two unbeatens in Stony Brook (8-2, 3-0) and Hofstra (6-4, 3-0).
Following Saturday's game, the team will hold an autograph session for fans and Rudd Field will be open to family games of catch.
HOW TO FOLLOW
- Live stats are available by CLICKING HERE
- The game will be broadcasted on LacrosseTV. To watch Saturday's game, please CLICK HERE
- Follow the official social media accounts of Elon Lacrosse:
- Twitter - @ElonWLax
- Instagram - @ElonWLax
ABOUT DREXEL
- Drexel enters the contest with a record of 7-3 overall and 2-0 in Coastal Athletic Association play. The Dragons have earned matching 13-5 home victories over Delaware and Campbell to open conference play.
- Outside of CAA action, Drexel has wins over a pair of top 25 teams, defeating Penn State 10-8 and Navy 13-12. The Dragons did lose to current No. 1 Maryland 14-7.
- Drexel was picked to finish second in the CAA Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll.
- Goalie Jenika Cuocco was a preseason All-CAA selection and she has not disappointed. Cuocco ranks second in the country in save percentage (57.7 percent) and fifth in saves per game (11.2), allowing just 8.20 goals per contest, sixth-best in the nation.
- Corinne Bednarik, another preseason All-CAA player, is fifth nationally with 5.6 points per game. Her 2.3 assists per game are among the top 25 in the country.
- As a team, Drexel clears the ball well (No. 25 nationally at 90.8 percent) and defends well (tied for No. 6 nationally at 8.20 scoring defense). Drexel, though, struggles in the draw circle (No. 107 with just 10.8 per contest) and does not force many turnovers (No. 76 in caused turnovers at 6.9 per game).
SERIES HISTORY
- Elon holds a 4-3 advantage in the all-time series with Drexel. The Dragons, however, have won the last two meetings.
- A year ago, Drexel won at home 12-5. The last time these two teams met on Rudd Field, Drexel scored with 4:39 remaining for a 14-13 victory after Elon had scored eight straight to tie the contest.
LAST TIME OUT
- Hofstra scored eight times in the second quarter to pull away from Elon Sunday in a 17-7 victory.
- Hofstra jumped out to an early 3-0 lead but Elon answered right back with a three-goal run of its own to tie the score.
- Mackenzie Coleman scored the first of her two first quarter goals to get Elon on the board and then Anna Hackett recorded a free position goal to cut the deficit to one.
- Coleman's second goal came with just 2:37 left in the period to tie the score.
- Hofstra scored with just 12 seconds remaining in the first quarter and then added eight unanswered second period goals.
- Cierra Hopson and Kaitlyn Michaud each scored third period goals but Hofstra led 15-5 heading into the fourth.
- Michaud and Sammy Fisher scored fourth quarter goals with assists from Hackett and Coleman as Hofstra went on for the 17-7 victory.
- Mackenzie Coleman now has back-to-back multi-goal games. After scoring just one goal in non-conference play, she has five goals in the first three league games of the season. She also added an assist for a career-best three points.
- Hofstra outshot Elon 34-26 and 23-22 in shots on goal.
- Elon led in the draw circle 19-8. MJ Santa Barbara had a team-best seven draw controls and Kailee Follette added six.
- Anna Hackett scored her ninth free position goal of the season, giving her 19 for her career.
- Kaitlyn Michaud led Elon with two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
THE CONFERENCE RACE
- Four of the nine teams in the CAA will qualify for the CAA Tournament May 2 and 4 at Stony Brook.
- Stony Brook (3-0), Hofstra (3-0) and Drexel (2-0) sit atop the CAA standings without a conference loss heading into the weekend.
- At 2-1 in CAA play, Towson sits in the coveted fourth spot. Elon and Monmouth are both 1-2, just a game behind. Elon does have a victory over Monmouth to hold an important tiebreak advantage.
- Delaware (0-2), William & Mary (0-2) and Campbell (0-3) are all looking for their first league victories.
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 9.09 draw controls per game, most in the CAA, and No. 6 in the country. Her 100 draw controls are already the program's single-season record and her 15 draw controls in the win over Monmouth are the program's single-game record.
- Elon holds a .639 win percentage in draws in 2024, ranking No. 3 in the country. Only UMBC (.684) and Loyola Maryland (.662) have been better in 2024. 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.
BALANCED OFFENSE
CONTROLLING THE CLEAR
- Elon ranks No. 23 in the country in clearing percentage at .911 on the season, ranking second in the CAA, only behind Hofstra at .932.
- The Phoenix has been perfect on clears three times this season -- in games against Old Dominion, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina.
- With the .911 clear percentage (153-of-168), 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 100 draw controls as well as the single-game record with 15 against Monmouth, Elon has some more program records in sight.
- Elon's .911 team clear percentage is on pace to break the program record of .889 in a season, set in 2020.
- Elon's .639 win percentage in the draw circle is pacing ahead of the program record .620 win percentage from 2020.
- Reagan Kuehn has 16 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:
TEAM RANKINGS (TOP THREE)
- Draw Controls - 1. Elon 16.73/game
- Shots – 3. Elon 28.27/game
- Women-Up Goals - 2. Elon 2.27/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 – 3. Elon .639
- Draw Controls/Game – 13. Elon 16.73
- Clearing Percentage – 23. Elon .911
INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS (TOP 25)
-- ELON --
