Women's Lacrosse Set to Compete for Fourth Straight ECC Title
Casey Schermick - Director of Athletic Media Relations
Game Details: Saturday, May 5
| 12:00 p.m.
Location: President's Stadium | Old Westbury, N.Y.
Game Links: Watch Live |
Live Stats
Twitter: @LIUPostPioneers |
@LIUPWLAX
LIU Post Links: News |
Roster |
Schedule |
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Mercy Links: News |
Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
THE FIRST LOOK
The LIU Post women's lacrosse team ran away in the second half in a 20-6 rout of Molloy College in the semifinal round to earn a berth in the championship game and a chance to earn its fourth consecutive ECC title Saturday.
Mercy also dominated during the semifinal round, defeating the New York Institute of Technology 22-9 to advance to the championship.
INSIDE THE SERIES
LIU Post is a perfect 11-0 against Mercy in the nine-year history of the series. The Pioneers have outscored the Mavericks 186-56 and have scored fewer than 12 goals just once (May 5, 2016).
LAST TIME THEY MET
The two squads last met on April 14 where the Pioneers took down Mercy 25-18. The 25 goals marked a new program record for most goals in a single contest. Sophomore
Alyssa Mallery scored eight goals for the Pioneers while classmates
Brianna Feldman and
Paige Sherlock and junior
Trish Brisotti scored 5, 4, and 4 goals, respectively. Senior
Olivia Kirk made 13 saves between the pipes to earn the win.
LIU POST KEYS TO SUCCESS
Lockdown Defense
The Pioneers will need to aid Kirk, the three-time ECC Goalkeeper of the Year, with defensive pressure in the midfield and defensive third of the field. In the last contest, Mercy recorded 31 shots on goal which helped them score the most goals against the Pioneers in series history. LIU Post holds opponents to a .793 clear percentage and will need to make life difficult to slow down the Mavericks in transition.
Ball Movement
LIU Post has 106 assists on 266 goals this season, but the offense is most dangerous when the Pioneers are able to spread the ball and find the open cutters inside the eight-meter arc. The Green and Gold score nearly 15 goals per game and over 17.5 goals per contest against ECC opponents. The LIU Post offense has the ability to put games out of reach and will need to show the same efficiency as the last meeting.
Reign in Emotions
The Pioneers are seeking their fourth consecutive ECC title, but are also playing to keep their season alive with a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Mercy currently holds the third and final spot in the East Region and the Green and Gold will be looking to upend the Mavericks in an attempt to retake possession of the final seed. LIU Post needs to find a way to contain the emotion of Saturday's championship matchup and trust their style of play to down Mercy.
MERCY KEYS TO SUCCESS
Scoring First
Mercy is 9-0 when scoring first this season, but is just 4-3 when its opponent strikes first. During all three setbacks this season, the Mavericks allowed the first goal of the contest to fall behind early. The Mavericks will look to take the game to the Pioneers and take an early lead to set the tone.
Getting Shots
Another key stat for the Mavericks is the number of shots attempted in a game. Mercy has won all 13 games when outshooting opponents, while falling to 0-3 when getting outshot. The Mavericks have proven that they have a potent offense, and giving their attackers opportunities will make a huge difference in the score line.
Hunting for Hunter
It can be expected to be an offensive battle Saturday, just like the first matchup. The Mavericks will need a big game from ECC Midfielder of the Year,
Hunter Isnardi. Isnardi leads the nation with 90 goals this season, taking over the top spot with five goals in the semifinal victory. During the first matchup, Isnardi scored a team-best seven goals and the Mavericks will need to create opportunities for her in the title game if they want to take down the three-time defending champs.
TICKET INFORMATION
Admission will be charged for all fans in attendance for Saturday's championshi. Tickets for adults will be $8 and students with valid ID, senior citizens, and children ages 5-12 will be admitted for $4. Children under the age of five will not be charged admission. Fans that cannot make it to President's Stadium can follow along with live video available on the
ECC Network free of charge. Fans can also follow along with live stats at
www.liupostpioneers.com.