Lacrosse Set for Senior Day Game with Robert Morris

Lacrosse vs. ROBERT MORRIS
Date	Saturday, April 27 \| 1 p.m.
Venue	Scicluna Field \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live	Statistics
Social Media	Instagram: @emu_Lacrosse \| Twitter: @EMU_Lacrosse

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The final game of the regular season awaits the Eastern Michigan University lacrosse team this weekend as the Eagles are set to play host to Mid-American Conference foe Robert Morris University Saturday, April 27, in a 1 p.m. Senior Day game at Scicluna Field in Ypsilanti. The Eagles (7-7, 4-1 MAC) have clinched their first berth into the MAC Tournament and currently sit second in the MAC standings with a chance to share the league title while the Colonials (5-11, 3-2 MAC) have earned a spot in the MAC event for the third year in a row.

BUSY DAY ON CAMPUS
The game is not the only event taking place Saturday on the athletic campus as EMU's Spring Commencement is set to take place inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. Fans attending the game should be prepared for additional traffic in the area and limited parking.

SENIOR SENDOFF
The game with Robert Morris Saturday, April 27, will not only be the final game of the regular season, but also will be the final home game for five of the program's seniors. Following the game, Senior Day ceremonies will be held to recognize Liv Dameron, Olivia Halverson, Emily Kahn, Sydney Lawrence, and Addie Pastor.

OPENING DRAWS
» EMU stands 7-7 overall and 4-1 in MAC play following its split of games last week, including a 13-12 overtime loss to visiting Xavier, April 17, and an 18-11 MAC win at Youngstown State, April 21.
» The Eagles have clinched a berth into the 2024 MAC Tournament that will be played May 2 and 4 at Central Michigan. The first-time participants will claim the No. 2 seed with a win over Robert Morris Saturday.
» The race for a regular season crown is not done yet, but help will be needed. To claim a share of the title, the Eagles will need to defeat Robert Morris and Central Michigan would need to lose to Kent State.
» After not winning one game on the road in 2023 (0-8), the Eagles have captured five away from home in 2024. Additionally, after going 0-4 in MAC road games in 2023, the Eastern win at YSU gave the Eagles a 3-0 record on the road in MAC play this year.
» The game at Youngstown State, April 21, produced some amazing stats for the Eagles, including the 13 points tallied by Sydney Lawrence and the 16 draw controls won by Mackenzie Blackwell. Through games played April 21, Lawrence's point total rank tied for the most in a single game in the NCAA this year while Blackwell's draws rank tied for 21st nationally.
» Three individual and three team school records were broken at Youngstown State, April 21. Individually, the records came from the 13 points and five assists recorded by Sydney Lawrence and the 16 draw controls from Mackenzie Blackwell while the team records broken included 18 goals scored, goals scored in one quarter (seven), and woman-up goals scored (seven).
» For her efforts, Sydney Lawrence was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week, April 23. It marked her second honor of the year after earning the defensive award April 2.
» Three members of the program will earn their degrees this weekend, including Emily Kahn, Olivia Halverson, and Avery Schwab.
» Five Eagles were selected captains ahead of the 2024 season, including sophomores Mackenzie Blackwell, Skylar Hilmer, Gina Jaffurs, and Annika Wozney, and graduate student Sydney Lawrence.
» Head Coach Sara Tisdale is back for her second year building the Eagle program and carries a career record of 113-83 in 12 years of coaching. Eastern is the third program she has started from scratch after starting programs at Augustana (Ill.) in 2012 and Central Michigan in 2016.
» Eastern was voted fourth in the 2024 MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, up from a tie for sixth in 2023.

WITH A WIN OVER ROBERT MORRIS, EASTERN WOULD...
» Finish the regular season with a winning record (8-7).
» Finish the MAC slate at 5-1, an improvement of four wins over the team's inaugural 2023 season at 1-7.
» Give Eastern its first win over the Colonials after falling, 19-7, last year, April 19, 2023, on the road.

SO, YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE!
Although help is needed, the Eagles still have a chance of sharing the MAC regular season title with Central Michigan. Should the Eagles defeat the Colonials, Eastern would need Kent State to down Central Michigan in their game in Kent, Ohio, at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, for EMU and CMU to share the crown. If that were to happen, the Chippewas, by virtue of their win at EMU, April 14, would still host the MAC Tournament and earn the No. 1 seed with the Eagles playing as the No. 2 seed.

WELL, WELL, WELL... HOW THE TURNTABLES...
In their inaugural season, the Eagles went 0-8 on the road and were 0-4 against MAC foes, including 0-1 at Youngstown State. Following its game with the Penguins, April 21, Eastern is 5-4 on the road in 2024 and 3-0 in MAC play. The win at YSU helped EMU finish a perfect 3-0 on the road in league play this year and gave the Eagles a winning road record for the first time in program history.

SCOUTING: ROBERT MORRIS
The Colonials head into their regular season finale with a 5-11 overall record and a 3-2 mark in MAC play. Winners of two in a row, including home wins over Youngstown State, 17-6, April 13, and Duquesne, 14-8, April 16, RMU is 2-7 on the road with its last away win coming March 23 in an 11-10 victory at Kent State. Offensively, six players have scored double-digit goals with Jenna Irwin leading the way with a team-high 28. Defensively, Sydney Riker has seen more than half the action in goal where she has tallied 96 saves, allowed 120 goals, and holds a 13.22 goals-against average.

IN THE SERIES: EAGLES vs. COLONIALS
Eastern is 0-1 in its all-time series with Robert Morris after the Eagles fell, 19-7, in Moon Township, Pa., April 19, 2023.

LOOKING BACK: SPLIT
Eastern split its two games played last week as the Eagles fell in overtime at home to Xavier, 13-12, before rebounding to win on the road in a MAC game at Youngstown State, 18-11. The game with the Musketeers marked the first overtime game played in program history for the Eagles, one that started outdoors but was finished inside because of severe storms in the area.

SHE MAKES A GREAT POINT
Sydney Lawrence had quite a game for the Eagles at Youngstown State a she accumulated 13 points on eight goals and five assists with two of her goals coming from free-position shots and two more when EMU was a woman up.

FEELING HONORED
Sydney Lawrence was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week, April 23, following a big week for the graduate student. Lawrence was huge for the Eagles as she tallied 13 points on eight goals and five assists against Youngstown State, April 21, in Youngstown, Ohio. The 13 points ranks as the most in a single game in all of NCAA Division I this season and are the most in school history. Her five helpers also broke the school record for assists in a game and while her eight goals rank second in goals in a game. Additionally, against the Penguins, she scored a school-record three woman-up goals while recording her second double hat trick at Eastern with 3+ goals and 3+ assists in the same game. Lawrence also tallied one goal against Xavier in midweek action while recording a school-record five caused turnovers.

UNDER (DRAW) CONTROL
In the game at YSU, April 21, 31 draw controls were up for grabs with the Eagles winning 24, the second-most in a game in a program history. To get to that total, Mackenzie Blackwell was nearly unstoppable as she recorded 16, which is nine more than the Penguins recorded as a team, and four more than her previous school record. All told, the 16 draw controls tied for the 21st-most in a single game in the NCAA this year while the team's 24 tied for 23rd.

YO, DJ! SCRATCH THOSE RECORDS!
The Eagles broke or tied six school records in their game at Youngstown State, April 21, with three coming from individual efforts and three by the team. Individually, Sydney Lawrence broke the records for points in a game with 13 and assists handed out with five while Mackenzie Blackwell's 16 draw controls bettered her previous high of 12. As a team, the 18 goals scored seven goals scored in the third quarter both tied the school record while the seven woman-up goals broke the mark.

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ADVANTAGE
Eastern has taken advantage of being a woman up in 2024 as the Eagles have scored 34 times this year, an average of 2.43 woman-up goals per game after averaging just 1.12 per game last year. Last week alone, the Eagles scored 10 goals on the advantage, including seven at Youngstown State, April 21. Additionally, the EMU defense is doing its part as only 10 woman-up goals have been scored this year, an average of 0.71 per game, compared to last year's 14 goals allowed, an average of 0.88.

MORE HATS THAN A BASEBALL TEAM
Last week, Mackenzie Blackwell scored seven goals in two games, including four against Xavier, April 17, and three at Youngstown State, April 21. The team's leader with 48 goals, which is 10 more than her single season record established last year, Blackwell has now recorded 17 hat tricks in her career and nine this year. Additionally, she has scored at least on goal in 86.7 percent of all games played (26-of-30) with three or more goals scored in 56.7 percent of those contests. (17-of-30)

ONE OF THE BEST
With her 48 goals in 10 games, Mackenzie Blackwell is averaging 3.43 goals per contest, which is second in the MAC and ranks 28th nationally. The fourth-highest scoring sophomore in NCAA Division I, Blackwell's 48 goals ranks 46th in the nation as well.

SYD'S LIDS
In sports, scoring three goals is considered a hat trick. What is it when a player scores three or more goals and dishes three or more assists in the same game? No matter the name, Sydney Lawrence has accomplished that feat twice, most recently at Youngstown State, April 21. In the game, she scored eight goals and dished a school-record five assists. The first time she posted a double hat trick came April 8, 2023, at YSU where she scored four goals and assisted on three more.

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS
As a team, the Eagles hold the top spot in eight statistical categories in the MAC with top three rankings in four others. Through games played April 21, Eastern leads the league in points (16.57), goals (11.07), assists (5.50), woman-up goals (2.43), shots on goal per game (19.71), save percentage (.468), ground balls (18.07), and draw controls (15.50).

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS, PART II
Individually, an Eagle leads three offensive categories with Mackenzie Blackwell holding the top spot in draw controls per game (6.00); Avery Schwab is tops in assists (1.36); and Maddie Porter leads in ground balls per game (4.31).

THE SUPER SCOOPER
Maddie Porter not only leads the MAC in ground balls per game (4.31), she also leads all players in NCAA Division I with Madison Hranicka (Delaware) and Hanna Pawela (Duquesne) tied for second at 4.21. Additionally, she is the top-ranked freshman in the category with second belonging to freshman goalie Lauren Solis of Colgate, who ranks 12th nationally at 3.08.

THESE EAGLES AREN'T FOULS
Through 14 games, the Eagles have committed 99 fouls, an average of 7.07 per game, both of which are the fewest of any team in NCAA Division I. The next closest team in either category is Old Dominion, who is second by both number of fouls committed (106) and average per game (7.07).

NATIONAL LISTS
As a team, the Eagles rank among the top 50 in four other categories among all NCAA Division I teams. Eastern is 16th nationally in ground balls (18.07), 19th in save percentage (.468), 22nd in draw controls (15.5), and 45th in assist (5.50).

HIGH MARKS
As a team, the Eagles have posted four marks that rank among the top four nationally in single-game standings with the 20 saves recorded at Marquette (March 17) ranking third in a single game among all NCAA Division I teams. Earlier this year, the 26 draw controls recorded at Duquesne (Feb. 15) rank as the third-most while the 37 ground balls recorded at Howard (Feb. 25) rank fourth. The 24 draw controls recorded at YSU (April 21) are tied for 21st.

HAPPY HELPERS
It is no surprise the Eagles lead the MAC in assists as three players rank among the top four with Avery Schwab (1.36) leading the league. Sydney Lawrence sits second on the chart (1.25) with Tracy Grollman fourth (1.09).

ON THE HORIZON
The 2024 MAC Tournament awaits the Eagles next week in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., with the semifinals being played May 2 and the final May 4. Following games played Sunday, April 28, the MAC will announce the final standings and pairings for the tournament along with game times.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Blackwell

Liv Dameron

Tracy Grollman

Olivia Halverson

Skylar Hilmer

Gina Jaffurs

Emily Kahn

Sydney Lawrence

Addie Pastor

Maddy Porter

Avery Schwab

Annika Wozney

Eastern Michigan Athletics