Women’s Lacrosse – Game Preview – WJU Travels to Slippery Rock Thursday

By: Michael McDonald, Assistant Sports Information Director

Olivia Krock (left) and Kate Calder (right) look to help the Cards past the Rock on Wednesday.

Women's Lacrosse | 4/3/2017 9:43:00 AM

WHEELING, W.Va. – The Wheeling Jesuit women's lacrosse team returns to action Wednesday, April 5 in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. The Cardinals will battle the Rock in a 5 p.m. match.

In the 2016 meeting between the Cardinals and the Rock, SRU prevailed, 14-10. WJU won the second half by a score of 5-4, but the first half margin led Slippery Rock to victory.

Elizabeth Hales led the way with four goals and four assists while Paige Plesich added three points. Mary Burns contributed a well-rounded attack consisting of two goals, three ground balls, three caused turnovers, and three draw controls. Markie Wright assisted on two scores and Kori Hickman assisted on one. Brianna Wahle picked up three ground balls and caused a turnover while Olivia Krock finished with two caused turnovers, two ground balls, and two draw controls.

The Cardinals enter Wednesday 3-6 on the season and are currently riding a one-game win streak. In their last outing, the Cards fired their way past the Northern Michigan Wildcats, 15-5, in a game where seven different Cardinals scored, led by Hales' four goals.

Hales continues to anchor the Cardinal attack with her 35 points. The Orlando, Florida native has scored 23 times and assisted on 12 others. Despite their absence in the past two games, Hickman and Wright have totaled 16 and eight points, respectively. Burns has fired nine goals and charted five assists for 14 season points. Plesich trails closely with her 13 points.

Lyndsay Carpenter leads the WJU defense in caused turnovers (21) and ground balls (29). The Davis, California native has also scored four goals and dished out two assists in the last two games. Holly Deckert, the reigning Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year, has started all nine games, scooped up 20 ground balls, and forced 16 turnovers. Deckert has also won 11 draw controls. Taylor Quigg ranks third in ground balls and caused turnovers with 13 and 10.

Slippery Rock enters Wednesday with a 7-1 record, but lost in their last outing, 5-3, to Bloomsburg University. The Rock has outscored its opponents 91-62 on the season. Caitlynn Palladino leads the way with 25 points, as she has scored 18 goals and handed out seven assists. Bre Vodde and Tia Torchia are tied for second with 16 points each. Emily Bitka leads the defense with 27 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers. Tori Penders has scooped up 23 ground balls and forced 20 turnovers while Torchia has grabbed 22 ground balls and caused 20 turnovers.

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