Akron to Battle No. 13 Michigan in NCAA Lacrosse Tournament

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AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron lacrosse team is set to travel to Evanston, Ill., to open NCAA Tournament play versus No. 13 Michigan on Friday (May 9) at 3 p.m. ET at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on the Northwestern University campus

AKRON EARNS FIRST EVER MAC REGULAR SEASON TITLE:
With its 14-12 come-from-behind victory over Robert Morris on April 27 the Zips earned a share of their first-ever Mid-American Conference regular season title.

FOUR ZIPS AND HEAD COACH ELAINE JONES GARNER ALL-MAC ACCOLADES:
Akron garnered a program-record four All-Mid-American Conference selections when the league unveiled its 2024 award winners in a vote of the league coaches released on April 30.

Akron head coach Elaine Jones was recognized as the league's Coach of the Year as she led the Zips to their first ever MAC Regular Season title after the squad was picked to finish last in the preseason coaches' poll.

Redshirt senior Noelle Boyd (Murrysville, Pa.) and sophomore Sienna Hinchcliffe (Rochester, N.Y.) headlined the Zips' award winners as the duo was selected as First-Team All-MAC honorees.

Pulling in Second-Team All-MAC laurels was junior Katie Baumer (Rochester, N.Y.). Additionally, freshman Julia Mattingly (Leonardstown, Md.) was tabbed to the MAC All-Freshman team.

POSTSEASON HISTORY:
The Zips will be playing in their third postseason game in program history when the squad battles Michigan on Friday (May 9). Akron earned its first ever postseason triumph with a 16-4 victory past Eastern Michigan on Thursday (May 1).

EIGHT ZIPS HONORED ON SENIOR DAY:
Akron recognized eight Zips on Senior Day prior to the squad's match with Robert Morris on April 27. The group of Noelle Boyd, Jaelyn Clinkscales (Rochester, N.Y.), Bryanne Harner (Friendswood, Texas), Kylie Harris (Lake Norman, N.C.), Chloe Herrera (Houston, Texas), Hannah Sanders (Massillon, Ohio), Graceann Schwab (Rochester, N.Y.) and Antonia Trickett (Cleveland, Ohio) donned the Blue and White one final time at home when Akron hosted the Colonials

ZIPS NAME TRIO TEAM CAPTAINS FOR 2025:
The Akron senior trio of Noelle Boyd, Jaelyn Clinkscales and Bryanne Harner will serve as the Zips' captains for the 2025 campaign.

SCOUTING AKRON:
Sienna Hinchcliffe leads the Zips in goals (58), points (71), shots (137) and shots on goal (103). Noelle Boyd paces the squad in assists (26) and draw controls (74) and ranks second in ground balls (42). Katie Baumer directs the team in caused turnovers (24). Goalkeeper Hannah Sanders has registered 138 saves and a team-high 43 ground balls.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN:
Akron is meeting Michigan for the first time in program history. The Wolverines enter their showdown with the Zips at 12-6 on the campaign, following a 13-10 setback versus Maryland on April 25 in the Big Ten Conference Championship Semifinals. Senior Jill Smith directs Michigan's offensive efforts pacing the squad in goals (54), points (75), shots (116) and shots on goal (84) while ranking second in assists (21) and draw controls (68). Senior goalkeeper Erin O'Grady has collected 150 saves and 29 ground balls on the campaign en route to posting a 9.00 goals against average. Michigan is led by eighth-year head coach Hannah Nielsen, who owns a 82-49 ledger as a head coach for the Wolverines.

AKRON VS THE BIG TEN CONFERENCE:
Akron is meeting a team from the Big Ten Conference for the third time in program history. Earlier this season, the Zips dropped a 13-4 decision at No. 20 Ohio State on Feb. 26. The Buckeyes also bested Akron, 18-3, on Feb. 18, 2024, at the Stile Athletics Field House.

ZIPS EARNS MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CROWN WITH 11-10 OVERTIME WIN AT ROBERT MORRIS:
A golden goal from Jaelyn Clinkscales with 14 seconds remaining in overtime propelled the Akron lacrosse team to its first ever Mid-American Conference Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth with a come-from-behind 11-10 victory over Robert Morris in the league's title match on Saturday (May 3).

Picked to finish last in the MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Zips overcame a five-goal second-half deficit to force and overtime and set the stage for Clinkscales' game-winning goal in overtime.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Akron garnered a game-high four goals from Clinkscales, including the game-winner to send the Zips to their first ever NCAA Tournament.
• Adding two goals apiece was Noelle Boyd and Sienna Hinchcliffe, while Katie Baumer and junior Kellen Fletcher (Valencia, Pa.) and Kylie Harris each collected a goal.
• Hannah Sanders provided a key defensive effort for Akron with a game-high nine saves.
• Baumer was tabbed as the Tournament Most Valuable Player, while joining her on the All-Tournament team for the Zips was Boyd, Clinkscales, Hinchcliffe and Sanders.
• Fletcher dished out a game-high two assists for the Zips. Adding one assist each was Harris and Hinchcliffe.
• Boyd and Sanders each posted a team-high three ground balls, while Hinchcliffe corralled a game-best six draw controls.
• Boyd and Hinchcliffe led Akron with two caused turnovers apiece.
• Recording seven, six, five and five shots, respectively, was Boyd, Baumer, Clinkscales and Hinchcliffe.

AKRON NOTES:
• Sienna Hinchcliffe supplanted Alexis Kiefer as the single season record holder for goals in program history with a career-best six-goal effort against Robert Morris (April 27). She enters play against Michigan with 58 goals this season.
• Noelle Boyd became Akron's all-time leading goal scorer when she netted her first goal of the game versus Central Michigan (March 23).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe has set the single-season record for points (71), shots (137) and shots on goal (103), while Noelle Boyd owns the top single-season mark for assists (26) and Hannah Sanders for saves (138) and wins (11).
• Hannah Sanders surpassed 300 career saves with a career-best 13 save performance at UMBC on April 11. She enters play versus Michigan with 345 career saves.
• Noelle Boyd surpassed Alexis Kiefer atop the career list for shots versus Robert Morris (April 27) having amassed 323 shots, while moving atop the list for shots on goal with 252 shots on goal against Eastern Michigan (April 20). Additionally, she has started a program record 68 games.
• Katie Baumer is two caused turnovers away from supplanting Jenna Ridener atop Akron's career list.

IN THE LATEST MAC RANKINGS:
• Akron leads the Mid-American Conference in assists per contest (6.06), points per tilt (18.06) and goals against average (10.57) and ranks second in shot per match (28.22), shots on goal (21.50) and goals per contest (12.00).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe is first in the conference in points per outing (3.94), second in shots per contest (7.61) and in goals per game (3.22) and eighth in draw controls (3.83).
• Noelle Boyd is third in the league in assists per game (1.44) and points per match (3.50), fourth in shots per tilt (5.28), sixth in draw controls per match (4.11), seventh in goals per game (2.06) and ninth in ground balls (2.33).
• Hannah Sanders ranks second in the league in goals against average (10.29), fourth in saves per game (8.12) and seventh in save percentage (.441) and in ground balls (2.53).
• Katie Baumer is rated seventh in caused turnovers (1.33), ninth in assists per tilt (0.89) and draw controls (3.78) and 10th in shots per game (4.72).
• Antonia Trickett is rated eighth in caused turnovers (1.17).
• In league-only action, Boyd finished first in points per match (4.67), third in goals per game (3.00) and assists per tilt (1.67) and seventh in ground balls (3.17) and shots per contest (6.17). Hinchcliffe was second in shots per contest (8.67) and goals per game (3.33) and sixth in draw controls (4.83) and in points per match (4.00). Baumer was third in caused turnovers (1.83), fourth in draw controls (5.83) and ninth in points per match (3.00), while Sanders was sixth in goals against average (11.17) and in saves per game (8.17) and eighth in save percentage (.422).

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
• Hannah Sanders is 25th in the NCAA in goals against average (10.29), 46th in total saves (138), 47th in saves per game (8.12) and 48th in save percentage (.441).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe is rated 18th in the NCAA in shots on goal (5.72), 19th in shots per game (7.61), 35th in goals per game (3.22) and 28th in total goals (58).
• Akron ranks 21st in the NCAA in clearing percentage (.911), 28th in ground balls (17.78), 36th in scoring defense (10.61), 38th in winning percentage (.611), 44th in assists per game (6.06) and save percentage (.440) and 46th in scoring margin (1.39).
• Noelle Boyd is ranked ninth among active NCAA D1 leaders in draw controls (307*) and in ground balls (148), 24th in ground balls per game (2.11) and 34th in draw controls per tilt (4.39), while Hannah Sanders is rated 14th in ground balls per contest (2.28), 25th in ground balls (121), 27th in goalkeeper minutes played (2,448) and 29th in saves (345). Additionally, Sienna Hinchcliffe ranks 29th in goals per match (2.74) and 36th in points per game (3.50).

UP NEXT:
With a victory Akron advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament to face Northwestern at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday (May 11).

Akron to Battle No. 13 Michigan in NCAA Lacrosse Tournament

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Players Mentioned

Katie Baumer

Noelle Boyd

Jaelyn Clinkscales

Kellen Fletcher

Bryanne Harner

Kylie Harris

Chloe Herrera

Sienna Hinchcliffe

Julia Mattingly

Hannah Sanders

Graceann Schwab

Antonia Trickett

The University of Akron Athletics