FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's lacrosse team will give its season opener another go.
Ten days after their first game was suspended twice due to lightning and ultimately postponed, the Patriots welcome in Lafayette at 2 p.m. on Saturday at George Mason Stadium. Admission is free. Mason has yet to complete a game while the Leopards (3-2) will be playing their sixth contest of the year.
The Patriots led Mount St. Mary's 9-4 early in the second half on Feb. 24. But a second lightning delay stopped play and the game was postponed after a tornado warning crept into the area. A makeup date has not been announced and if the teams reschedule the game will start over from the beginning.
The Patriots welcome back 15 letterwinners and eight starters from the 2015 team that delivered a breakout season in
Jessy Morgan's first year as head coach. Mason finished 10-7 for the program's first 10-win season and winning record since 2008. The Patriots finished tied for third in the A-10 to clinch a spot in the conference tournament, where they were upended seven-time defending champ Massachusetts.
They were picked to finished fourth in the coaches conference preseason poll, marking their highest projected finish since joining the A-10 prior to the 2014 season.
They also bring a ton of game experience back, returning eight players who started at least 14 games in 2015. Leading the way is a formidable offensive attack. The junior trio of
Jacquelyn Spalding,
Alexa McGovern and
Melissa Lobaccaro combined for 98 goals and 128 points last year. McGovern (32 goals, six assists) was named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team while Spalding (35 goals, 22 assists) was tabbed to the Second Team.
Defensively, seniors
Erin Anderson and
Gina Purdue anchor the back line. Anderson – one of two team captains along with redshirt senior
Kelli Beard – has started all 49 games of her career.
In the cage, the Patriots welcome transfer
Mackenzie Duffy. The sophomore played in 16 games at Robert Morris last year, logging nearly 600 minutes. She made 76 saves, had a .396 save percentage and a goals allowed average of 11.62.
