Akron Lacrosse Set to Battle Pair of League Opponents

YOUNGSTOWN STATE: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron lacrosse team continues league play hosting Youngstown State on Wednesday, April 5, before a road test at Central Michigan on Saturday, April 8.

The Zips will host the Penguins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a change from the original start time of 5 p.m. The contest is tentatively slated to be contested at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field but could be moved indoors to the Stile Athletics Field House. Akron will battle Central Michigan at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

ZIPS TO WEAR TEAL RIBBONS VERSUS YOUNGSTOWN STATE
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Wednesday's match against Youngstown State, April 5^, is Teal Ribbon Day to raise awareness. The Zips and Penguins will be wearing a teal ribbon to focus attention on the prevalence of sexual violence and how to prevent it.

SCOUTING AKRON:
Akron enters league play versus Youngstown State at 1-9 on the campaign, including 0-1 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 6-5 setback at Kent State on April 1. Senior Alexis Kiefer (West Chicago, Ill.) and sophomore Jaelyn Clinkscales (Rochester, N.Y.), who have posted 57 and 33 shots, respectively, headline Akron's offensive efforts this season. Kiefer, Clinkscales and senior Kaija Kunttu (Zionsville, Ind.), have recorded a team-high 22, 13 and eight goals, respectively, while Kiefer has registered team-best marks in goals (22), points (26), shots (57), shots on goal (46), draw controls (51), ground balls (18) and caused turnovers (12). Freshman GK Kylan Rhude (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and sophomore GK Hannah Sanders (Massillon, Ohio) have combined to record 93 saves for Akron.

Kiefer is rated second in the MAC in draw controls per outing (5.10), fifth in goals per game (2.20), sixth in shots per outing (5.70), eighth in caused turnovers (1.20) and ninth in points per contest (2.60).

Additionally, Rhude is second in goals against average (10.13), fourth in ground balls per tilt (2.67) and in save percentage (.459) and eighth in saves per game (5.67). Sanders is fifth in ground balls per tilt (2.25), eighth in goals against average (14.15), ninth in save percentage (.404) and 10th in saves per game (5.25).

SCOUTING YOUNGSTOWN STATE:
Akron is squaring off against Youngstown State for the fifth time in program history. The Penguins are 2-8 on the campaign, including a 0-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference, following a 12-10 setback versus Robert Morris on April 1. Natalie Calandra-Ryan directs the Youngstown State offensive attack with team-high marks in goals (32), assists (13), points (45), shots (73), shots on goal (55), ground balls (15), caused turnovers (14) and draw controls (64). Goalkeeper Mikaela Staranko has collected 77 saves on the campaign for the Penguins. Youngstown State is led by first-year head coach Halle Kotulock, who owns a 0-3 ledger as a head coach for the Penguins.

IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH YSU (APRIL 9, 2023 - AKRON, OHIO):
Junior Noelle Boyd (Murrysville, Pa.) and Kaija Kunttu each netted four goals, but a second-half deficit proved too much for the Zips to overcome as Youngstown State earned a 17-14 Mid-American Conference triumph past Akron at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field on April 9, 2022.

Full match recap (click here)

SCOUTING CENTRAL MICHIGAN:
Akron is facing Central Michigan for the fifth time in program history. The Chippewas enter their showdown with Eastern Michigan on Wednesday at 3-6 on the campaign, including 1-0 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 13-8 victory past Detroit on March 29. Maggie Diebold directs the Central Michigan offensive attack with team-high marks in goals (25), points (31), shots (55) and shots on goal (39). Goalkeeper Alexa Martel has collected 90 saves on the campaign for the Chippewas. Central Michigan is led by first-year head coach Emilia Ward, who owns a 3-6 ledger as a head coach for the Chippewas and is 21-62 in six overall campaigns as a head coach.

IN OUR LAST MEETING WITH CMU (APRIL 30, 2023 - AKRON, OHIO):
A first-half scoring surge proved too much for the Akron lacrosse team to overcome as the Zips dropped a 19-10 decision to Central Michigan, the 2022 Mid-American Conference champions, on April 30, 2022 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

Full match recap (click here)

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
Alexis Kiefer is ranked 37th in the NCAA in draw controls per tilt (5.33), while as a team, Akron is rated 37th in the NCAA in draw control percentage (.526).

Noelle Boyd is rated 34th among active career leaders in Division I in draw controls per game (4.44), while Kiefer is 42nd in ground balls (95) and senior Julia Frombach (Avon, Ohio) is ranked 36th in caused turnovers per contest (1.44).

UP NEXT:
Akron hosts Detroit in a 5 p.m. tilt on Wednesday, April 12 at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field.

Akron Lacrosse Set to Battle Pair of League Opponents

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Players Mentioned

Noelle Boyd

Jaelyn Clinkscales

Julia Frombach

Alexis Kiefer

Kaija Kunttu

Kylan Rhude

Hannah Sanders

The University of Akron Athletics