Women's Lacrosse | 3/12/2019 12:22:00 PM

WHO: George Mason at Delaware
WHEN: Wednesday, 3 p.m.
WHERE: Delaware Stadium, Newark, Del.
RECORDS: Mason (4-3, 0-0 Atlantic 10); Delaware (2-4, 0-0 CAA)
SERIES RECORD: Delaware leads 10-4
LAST MEETING:  Delaware defeated Mason 18-8 on April 7, 2013 in Fairfax, Va.
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SCOUTING DELAWARE
The Blue Hens (2-4) have lost two straight and four of five. They are coming off a 14-10 loss to Coastal Carolina on Saturday in Newark, Del. Junior Christine Long leads the team with 14 goals and junior Sydney Rausa is not far off with 12 goals. Junior Mia Deruggiero has dished out a team-high 10 assists.  
 
SERIES HISTORY
Delaware leads the all-time series 10-4 in a rivalry that dates back to Mason's first season as a program in 1994 when both teams were still in the CAA. The Patriots have lost five straight in the series but the teams haven't met in six years when the Blue Hens recorded a 18-8 victory on April 7, 2013 in Fairfax. 

BALSAMA NAMED ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman Deanna Balsama was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week on Monday for the fourth time this season. The attacker from Sewell, N.J., scored four goals, dished out three assists and notched six ground balls in a pair of games last week. On Saturday, she scored three goals and recorded an assist while also winning two ground balls, snagging a draw control and causing a turnover in a 17-6 victory at Iona. Last Wednesday, in a 20-9 loss at No. 6 Virginia, she had a goal, two assists, a career-high four ground balls, a draw control and a caused turnover. She leads the team in goals (18), assists (nine) and points (27).

LAST TIME OUT
Senior Chachi Kelehan and junior Hailey Johnson each scored four goals and dished out an assist as the Patriots rolled past Iona 17-6 on Saturday afternoon in New Rochelle, N.Y. Freshman Deanna Balsama also continued her hot streak with three goals and an assist as nine players scored. Goalkeeper Melissa Semkiw made seven saves and allowed just three goals in 32 minutes. Senior Elizabeth Benedetto played most of the second half, allowing just three goals and making three stops as the Patriots led from start to finish.

SEASON PROSPECTUS
The Patriots return seven starters and 18 letterwinners from a 2018 team that went 11-7, finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 and reached the conference tournament for the fourth straight year. A-10 Rookie of the Year Erin Donoghue returns after a breakthrough season in which she became the first Mason freshman to earn All-Conference First Team honors. The midfielder ranked second on the team in goals (44), points (51), draw controls (86) and ground balls (29). Senior Chachi Kelehan earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team honors, leading the team with 52 goals last year and set the single-season school record with 76 points.

TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Chachi Kelehan and Rachel Woods were chosen as team captains before the season. Kelehan, an attacker from Ellicott City, Md., ranked third at Mason heading into this season in all-time points (179), fourth in goals (127) and sixth in assists (52). Woods, a defender from Longmeadow, Mass., is a three-year starter who ranked third on the team last year with 14 caused turnovers.