Feb. 15, 2010

Complete Release in PDF Format

OREGON (0-0 MPSF, 1-0 overall) equaled an all-time program record with 22 goals to open the season with a 22-6 rout at Jacksonville. The Ducks had scored those many goals just one other time during the 2006 season. Freshman Maggie Kovacs led with six points off the bench, on four goals and two assists, while Alex Breiner put away a game-high five goals. Ten different Ducks' recorded at least two points. Oregon, receiving votes in this week's insidelacrosse.com national poll, plays its home opener Sunday (Feb. 21) against St. Bonaventure.

DENVER (1-0 MPSF, 1-2 overall) received a hat trick from senior Lexi Sanders as well as three assists from sophomore Feb. 1 MPSF Player of the Week Lauren Ciccomascolo in a 16-6 loss at No. 5 Duke on Friday. Sunday, Denver fell at No. 4 North Carolina, 18-7. Ali Flury scored a pair of goals, making it 54 straight games in which she has posted at least one point, the second longest such streak in the nation. Sanders added one goal and two assists. The Pioneers host Stony Brook Thursday (Feb. 18) and Duquesne Monday (Feb. 22).

ST. MARY'S (0-1 MPSF, 0-1 overall) travels to Hofstra and Long Island this weekend (Feb. 20-21). The Gaels had five players score once in the 18-5 loss to Denver in the season opener. Juliet Munroe scored the first goal of the year at the 3:18 mark of the first half in that game. Goalkeeper Kathleen Worsdale collected seven saves in a complete game.

#12 STANFORD (0-0 MPSF, 0-0 overall) opens its season in Syracuse, NY, taking on Le Moyne Friday (Feb. 19) and No. 7 Syracuse Sunday (Feb. 21). The No. 12 Cardinal returns nine starters from a team that went 14-4 overall and won its fifth consecutive MPSF Championship. The squad returns 236 of its 264 goals it scored last year (89 percent) and top seven goal-scorers, including 30-goal scorers Sarah Flynn (36), Lauren Schmidt (35), Dana Lindsay (32) and Karen Nesbitt (30). Schmidt was the 2009 MPSF Player of the Year and team scoring leader (57 points).

CALIFORNIA (0-0 MPSF, 0-0 overall) visits UC Davis in a conference game on Saturday (Feb. 20) to begin 2010. The '09 Bears produced an 8-11 overall record and took second place in the MPSF regular season (4-2 record) and in the conference tournament. Returning are All-MPSF selections DennaFaye Herald and Alex Tickner for their final seasons at Cal. Tickner, also an MPSF All-Tournament team member, is coming off a breakout year in which she scored a career high in goals - leading the team with 35 - and ranked second with a career-high 40 points.

UC DAVIS (0-0 MPSF, 0-0 overall) opens its season with an MPSF home game against California Saturday (Feb. 20). The Aggies return their top three scorers from 2009, including senior center Britt Farquharson, who led with 46 goals and 39 draw controls. Other top returnees include seniors Christina Corsa (31 goals and school record 29 assists), Gina Hoffmire (31 goals, 24 draw controls, 22 ground balls), and Molly Lapolla (21 goals, 21 assists). UC Davis finished 6-12 overall in '09, highlighted by a 16-14 upset of Denver to open the MPSF Tournament.

FRESNO STATE (0-0 MPSF, 0-0 overall) will play its first five games on the road, beginning Feb. 26 at La Salle. The Bulldogs return top '09 scorer in junior Heather Jack, who totaled 11 goals, 11 points, in addition to ranking second on the team with 18 ground balls. Senior Krisdina Gehring also returns, leading the team a year ago in groundballs (22) and caused turnovers (13).

LEXI SANDERS MPSF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Denver senior midfielder Lexi Sanders (Greenwood Village, CO/Cherry Creek HS) totaled four goals and a pair of assists in two road games against Top-five teams last weekend. She had a hat trick, two draw controls, one ground ball and a caused turnover against No. 5 Duke. Sanders followed it up with a goal, two assists, a ground ball and a caused turnover against No. 4 North Carolina. Through the first three games, Sanders leads DU with six goals and is second in both points (10) and assists (3).

Also Nominated: Maggie Kovacs (UO)