Akron Opens 2022 Campaign Battling St. Bonaventure

Sunday, February 13

Akron, Ohio

12:00 PM

University of Akron

St. Bonaventure

Akron Opens 2022 Campaign Battling St. Bonaventure

February 11 | Women's Lacrosse

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LIVE STATS

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron lacrosse team under the leadership of third-year head coach Christy Mitchell will commence its 2022 campaign this Sunday, Feb. 13, welcoming St. Bonaventure to the Stile Athletics Field House for a 12 p.m. season-opening tilt.

Admission is free for the match with fans asked to enter the Stile Athletics Field House via the street-level entrance off South Union Street and follow signs to the bleachers located adjacent to the turf field.

Regardless of vaccination status, spectators and guests must wear mask that fully covers the nose and mouth at all indoor spaces including lobbies, elevators, restrooms, hallways, stairways and at their seats unless eating or drinking.

SCOUTING AKRON:
The Zips return 11 starters from their second season including sophomore Noelle Boyd (Murrysville, Pa.), senior Anna Dennison (Fallston, Md.), junior Julia Frombach (Avon, Ohio), sophomore Jacqueline Glassey (Kildeer, Ill.), junior Alexis Kiefer (West Chicago, Ill.), sophomore Ashley Lapp (Missouri City, Texas), juniors Kaija Kunttu (Zionsville, Ind.), Abby McMullen (Medina, Ohio), Sarah Rech (Gibsonia, Pa.) and Jenna Ridener (Cincinnati, Ohio) and sophomore Anjali Silverheels (Hamburg, N.Y.).

Kiefer started all 15 matches for Akron in 2021 en route to directing the Zips' efforts offensively registering team-high marks in goals (48), points (53) and shots (110), while ranking second in ground balls (35) and defensive controls (46). She finished second in the MAC in goals (48) and goals per game (3.20), third in shots (110) and shots per outing (7.33) and fourth in points (53) and points per contest (3.53).

McMullen is Akron's top-returner in assists (12), while Boyd paced the squad in draws controlled (37).

SCOUTING ST. BONAVENTURE:
St. Bonaventure will kick off its campaign with a non-conference showdown at Youngstown State on Friday, Feb. 11, before battling Akron. The Bonnies will be sparked by the return of four of their top-five leading scorers from a season ago when the team posted a 2-10 ledger. Junior Courtney Fox registered 11 goals and a trio of assists on the strength of 18 shots in 2021, while juniors Nora Anderson and sophomores Maddie Mazur and Abby Hiltz each tallied nine goals last season. Junior GK Ashley Herrick appeared in nine matches for St. Bonaventure and recorded 52 saves. The Bonnies are led by third-year head coach Jason Levesque, who owns a 7-12-0 ledger at St. Bonaventure.

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
Goalkeeper Ashley Lapp rated 18th in the NCAA in in save percentage (.473) and 23rd in goals against average (10.64). Alexis Kiefer ranked 19th in shots on goal per contest (5.93), 30th in goals (48), 31st in shot per tilt (7.33) and 39th in goals per game (3.20), while Julia Frombach finished 22nd in the country in caused turnovers per outing (1.87).

As a team, Akron rated sixth in the NCAA in ground ball per game (21.20), 10th in caused turnovers (10.40), 40th in save percentage (.442), 45th in draw control percentage (.520) and 49th in scoring defense (11.80).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MARCH 20, 2021 - OLEAN, N.Y.):
Akron found itself in a back-and-forth non-conference contest at St. Bonaventure on March 20, 2021, before the Bonnies escaped a strong second-half effort by the Zips to earn a 13-12 triumph.

Full match recap (click here)

UP NEXT:
Akron faces a busy weekend as the Zips will square off against Wofford on Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. in Spartanburg, S.C., before a 12 p.m. tilt at Gardner-Webb on Feb. 20 in Boiling Springs, N.C.