Akron Lacrosse Battles Youngstown State Before Hosting Cincinnati

Follow Akron Women's Lacrosse on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

YOUNGSTOWN STATE: LIVE STATS
CINCINNATI: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron lacrosse team faces a busy week ahead as the Zips resume Mid-American Conference play with a12 p.m. league showdown at Youngstown State on Thursday, March 3, before welcoming Cincinnati to InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field for a 12 p.m. tilt on Sunday, March 6.

SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron is led offensively by junior Alexis Kiefer (West Chicago, Ill.) and sophomore Noelle Boyd (Murrysville, Pa.), who own 35 and 24 shots, respectively. Boyd, Kiefer and freshman Izzy Szejk (Camp Hill, Pa.) have recorded nine, eight and six goals, respectively, while Boyd has posted team-best marks in goal (9), assists (3), points (12), draw controls (35) and ground balls (20). Sophomore GK Ashley Lapp (Missouri City, Texas) has turned in 48 saves for Akron on the year.

Boyd is ranked fourth in the MAC in assists (3), fifth in goals (5), seventh in points per contest (2.40) and eighth in goals per game (1.80). Junior Sarah Pattison (Cincinnati, Ohio) is fourth in assists (3) and seventh in assists per game (0.67), while Kiefer rates second in shots (35) and shots per game (7.60). Lapp paces the conference in saves (48), while ranking second in goals against average (10.40), saves per tilt (9.60) and in save percentage (.480).

Akron returns 11 starters from their second season including Boyd, senior Anna Dennison (Fallston, Md.), junior Julia Frombach (Avon, Ohio), sophomore Jacqueline Glassey (Kildeer, Ill.), Kiefer, Lapp, juniors Kaija Kunttu (Zionsville, Ind.), Abby McMullen (Medina, Ohio), Sarah Rech (Gibsonia, Pa.) and Jenna Ridener (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Silverheels.

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 YOUNGSTOWN STATE:
Akron is meeting Youngstown State for the third time in program history with the Zips owning a 2-0 series advantage over the Penguins following a pair of one-point victories a season ago. Youngstown State is off to a 2-2 start on the campaign following a 15-10 setback versus Niagara on Sunday, Feb. 27. The Penguins will face Akron in their league opener on Thursday, March 3, at the WATTS Indoor Training Center. Freshman Natalie Calandra-Ryan directs Youngstown State's offensive attack with team-high marks in goals (15), shots (28), shots on goal (21), draw controls (29), ground balls (14) and caused turnovers (7), while ranking second in assists (4) and points (19). Senior GK Savannah Clarke has collected 46 saves on the campaign for the Penguins. Youngstown State is led by second-year head coach Theresa Walton, who owns a 4-9 ledger as a head coach.

SCOUTING CINCINNATI:
Akron is squaring off against Cincinnati for the first time in program history. The Bearcats enter their week with a 1-4 ledger on the campaign ahead of matches versus Kent State and Akron on Friday and Sunday, March 4, and March 6, respectively. Senior Kylie Nause owns team-high marks in goals (17), points (17) and shots (36). Freshman GK Sophie O'Brien has played in all five matches for the Bearcats and has recorded 39 saves. Cincinnati is led by 10th-year head coach Gina Oliver, who owns a 56-93 ledger.

AKRON SWEEPS MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS:
University of Akron lacrosse sophomores Noelle Boyd and Ashley Lapp were named by the Mid-American Conference as its Lacrosse Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday, March 1.

Boyd and Lapp each earned weekly conference accolades for the second time this season.

Boyd turned in a dominating week for the Zips registering team-high marks in goals (7), assists (1), points (8) and draw controls (15), while ranking second in shots (11) and shots on goal (10) and third in ground balls (6).

In the Zips' league opener versus Kent State on Feb. 23, she scored a career-high six goals to spark Akron to an 11-6 triumph past the rival Golden Flashes. Boyd connected on a trio of goals in each half against Kent State, while also adding an assist.

She followed recording a goal on five shots, including four on goal, while adding a team-high six ground balls to go along with a pair of caused turnovers and draw controls against Saint Francis on Feb. 27.

On the season, Boyd leads the Zips in goal (9), assists (3), points (12), ground balls (20) and draw controls (35).

Lapp turned in a solid week for Akron posting 24 saves and registering a .600 save percentage en route to averaging 12 saves per contest.

Lapp recorded a season-high 16 saves against the Golden Flashes on Feb. 23, including 10 in the second half allowing the Zips to open up a 4-3 halftime lead en route to an 11-6 victory. She faced 22 shots on goal against Kent State. Lapp followed with eight saves versus Saint Francis on Feb. 27 facing 18 shots on goal.

On the season, Lapp has recorded 48 saves en route to 10.40 GAA and a .480 save percentage.

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
Goalkeeper Ashley Lapp rated eighth in the NCAA in saves (48), 33rd in saves per game (9.60) and save percentage (.480) and 36th in goals against average (10.40). Boyd is ranked sixth in ground balls per tilt (4.00) and 13th in draw controls per contest (7.00), while Jenna Ridener is 17th in caused turnovers per match (2.00) and Alexis Kiefer is 19th in free position percentage (.800), 23rd in shots on goal per tilt (5.60) and 32nd in shots per outing (7.00).

As a team, Akron is rated 13th in the NCAA in ground ball per game (20.00), 20th in scoring defense (8.67), 25th in caused turnovers (9.67), 33rd in save percentage (.480), 47th in clearing percentage (.864) and 55th in free position percentage (.448).

IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH YOUNGSTOWN STATE (APRIL 9, 2021 - YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO):
Akron scored the game-winning goal with 1:39 left in regulation to complete a come-from-behind 14-13 victory for the Zips over Youngstown State on April 9, 2021, at the Covelli Sports Complex in Youngstown, Ohio.

Full match recap (click here)

UP NEXT:
Akron resumes Mid-American Conference play hosting Robert Morris in a 3 p.m. match on Wednesday, March 9 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Lacrosse Battles Youngstown State Before Hosting Cincinnati

Players Mentioned

Noelle Boyd

Anna Dennison

Julia Frombach

Jacqueline Glassey

Alexis Kiefer

Kaija Kunttu

Ashley Lapp

Abby McMullen

Sarah Pattison

Sarah Rech

Jenna Ridener

Izzy Szejk

Related Videos