Akron Hosts Eastern Michigan in Key MAC Showdown

Saturday, March 28

Akron, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Eastern Michigan

Akron Hosts Eastern Michigan in Key MAC Showdown

March 27 | Women's Lacrosse

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron lacrosse team welcomes Eastern Michigan to InfoCision Stadium-Summa Health Field for a pivotal Mid-American Conference showdown on Saturday (March 28) at 1 p.m.

PARKING UPDATE: Akron lacrosse fans are encouraged to park in Lot 6, 9 and 10 (Surrounding InfoCision Stadium-Summa Health Field off Vine and Union Streets) for this weekend's lacrosse match. Parking in other lots without appropriate UA permit is subject to ticketing by parking services. Please enter through the main gate to the stadium.

ZIPS NAME TEAM CAPTAINS FOR 2026:
The Akron senior duo of Katie Baumer (Rochester, N.Y.) and Sarah Baumer (Rochester, N.Y.) will serve as the Zips' captains for the 2026 campaign.

SCOUTING AKRON:
Junior Sienna Hinchcliffe (Rochester, N.Y.) leads the Zips in goals (41), points (57), shots (82) and shots on goal (54), while ranking second in caused turnovers (8) and in ground balls (18). Katie Baumer is second on the team in goals (26). Senior Kellen Fletcher (Valencia, Pa.) paces the squad in assists (19), while junior Kaitlyn Sikorski (Plymouth, Minn.) ranks third with 14. Senior Heather Carey (Williamsville, N.Y.), ranks third on the squad in goals netting 22. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Adrianna Califano (Bellmore, N.Y.) has registered 65 saves, 16 ground balls and owns a 8.90 goals against average.

SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN:
Akron is meeting Eastern Michigan for the fifth time in program history. The Eagles are 7-4 on the campaign, including 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference, following an 17-4 triumph over Detroit Mercy on March 19. Senior Mackenzie Blackwell owns team-high totals in goals (32), points (44), shots (73) and shots on goal (52), while ranking second in assists (12) and draw controls (21). Junior goalkeeper Maddy Porter has collected 99 saves and 38 ground balls, respectively, en route to posting 11.12 goals against average. Eastern Michigan is led by second-year head coach Maddie Dugan, who owns an 15-13 ledger as a head coach for the Eagles, and is 41-72 in eight overall campaigns as a head coach.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MAY 1, 2025 – MOON TOWNSHIP, PA.):
Akron registered a dominating 16-4 victory over Eastern Michigan in the semifinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on May 1, 2025, in Moon Township, Pa.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Akron garnered three goals apiece from Katie Baumer, Noelle Boyd, Kylie Harris and Sienna Hinchcliffe.
• Akron held Eastern Michigan to a MAC Tournament record four goals, the lowest scoring output in tournament history. It also represented the third time in tournament history a team has been held below 10 goals.
• Adding one goal apiece was Heather Carey, Jaelyn Clinkscales, Kellen Fletcher and Kaitlyn Sikorski.
• Boyd registered a game-high three assists to go along with her trio of goals.
• Hinchcliffe led Akron with a game-high nine shots, including six on goal.
• Tallying one assist apiece for the Zips was Baumer, Carey and Sikorski.
• Baumer collected a team-best five ground balls, four draw controls and two caused turnovers.
• Akron's defensive efforts limited Mackenzie Blackwell, the MAC Attacker of the Year, to only one shot on the afternoon.
• Goalkeeper Hannah Sanders tallied seven saves for the Zips.

AKRON PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN MAC PRESEASON POLL:
The Mid-American Conference announced the 2026 Preseason Coaches' Poll on Feb. 4 as Akron was selected by the league's women's lacrosse coaches to finish second this season.

Conference newcomer Massachusetts (48 points, 6 first-place votes) was tabbed to capture the regular and postseason championships followed by Akron (37 points), Eastern Michigan (37), Robert Morris (34, 1 first-place vote), Central Michigan (28), Kent State (19), Youngstown State (12) and Detroit Mercy (9).

SAN DIEGO STATE EDGES AKRON:
Akron saw its fourth-quarter rally come up a goal short in a 14-13 setback to San Diego State on Sunday (March 22) at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Health Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Sienna Hinchcliffe tallied a team-high four goals on the afternoon, while also adding an assist.
• Netting three, two and two goals, respectively, for Akron were Heather Carey, Katie Baumer and Kaitlyn Sikorski.
• Kellen Fletcher and freshman Savannah Hinchcliffe (Rochester, N.Y.) rounded out Akron's scoring efforts with a goal each.
• Fletcher and Baumer paced the Zips with three and two assists, respectively, while recording one assist apiece was Carey, Hinchcliffe and Sikorski.
• Goalkeeper Adrianna Califano (Bellmore, N.Y.) pulled in six saves in the match.
• Carey recorded a game-best four ground balls, while Hinchcliffe pulled in team-best six draw controls.
• Junior Kacey Hopkins (Riva, Md.) tallied a team-high two caused turnovers.
• Recording a game-high 11 shots, including seven on goal was Hinchcliffe.

HINCHCLIFFE NAMED MAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Sienna Hinchcliffe was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (March 24).

Hinchcliffe continued her stellar campaign this past week as the league leader in goals (41), points (57) and shots (82) registered team-leading marks in goals (7), points (9), shots (17), shots on goal (11) and draw controls (10).

She sparked Akron to its first-ever road victory at Kent State posting a game-high three goals along with an assist on the strength of a team-high six shots, including four on goal. Additionally, she added a game-high four draw controls to go along with a team-best two ground balls.

She concluded her week tallying a team-high four goals against San Diego State, while also adding an assist and pulling in a team- and season-best six draw controls.

ZIPS CAPTURE MAC TOURNAMENT TITLE:
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 May 3, 2025, in Moon Township, Pa.

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.

AKRON EARNS FIRST EVER MAC REGULAR SEASON TITLE:
With its 14-12 come-from-behind victory over Robert Morris on April 27, 2025, 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 2025 award winners in a vote of the league coaches.

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.

Noelle Boyd and Sienna Hinchcliffe headlined the Zips' award winners as the duo was selected as First-Team All-MAC honorees.

Pulling in Second-Team All-MAC laurels was Katie Baumer. Additionally, Julia Mattingly was tabbed to the MAC All-Freshman team.

AKRON NOTES:
• Sienna Hinchcliffe is atop the career list at Akron in goals per game (3.00), points per contest (3.96), assists per outing (0.96), shots per match (6.98), shots on goal per game (5.11) and woman-up goals, while rating second in total goals (135), total points (178), total assists (43) and in shots (314), third in shots on goal (230) and fourth in draw controls (123) and draw controls per tilt (2.73).
• Katie Baumer is now atop Akron's career list in caused turnovers (65). Additionally, she is rated second at Akron in draw controls (177), third in draw controls per contest (2.95), fourth in goals (1.22) and points per game (1.78), total goals (73), total points (107), career assists (34), total shots (171) and shots on goal (124), fifth shots per match (2.85) and assists per game (0.57), sixth in ground balls (91), caused turnovers per match (1.08) and shots on goal per tilt (2.07) and ninth in ground balls per contest (1.52).
• 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 finished the campaign with 59 goals last season.
• Sienna Hinchcliffe set the single-season record for points (73), shots (142) and shots on goal (106), while Noelle Boyd owns the top single-season mark for assists (26) and Hannah Sanders for saves (144) and wins (11).
• Noelle Boyd surpassed Alexis Kiefer atop the career list for shots versus Robert Morris (April 27) having amassed 331 shots, while moving atop the list for shots on goal with 254 shots on goal against Eastern Michigan (April 20). Additionally, she started a program record 69 games.

IN THE LATEST MAC RANKINGS:
• Akron rates second in the Mid-American Conference in goals against average (8.90), in goals (12.80), assists (7.10), points (19.90) and in shots per game (28.50).
• In league-only matches, Akron is ranked second in the league in goals (17.00), assists (11.00), points (28.00), goals against average (4.00) and draw controls (13.50).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe is first in the conference in goals per game (4.10), points per outing (5.70) and in shots (8.20), sixth in assists per tilt (1.60) and ninth in draw controls (2.80).
• Katie Baumer is fourth in points (3.90) and in goals per game (2.60), sixth in shots (5.50) and in draw controls (3.30) and eighth in assists (1.30), while Kellen Fletcher is second in assists (1.90) and eighth in points per match (3.20).
• Adrianna Califano is second in goals against average (8.90), fifth in save percentage (.422) and sixth in saves (6.50).
• Additionally, Kaitlyn Sikorski is seventh in assists per match (1.40), Sarah Baumer is fourth in caused turnovers (1.70), Julia Mattingly is fifth in draw controls (3.70) and Heather Carey is eighth in goals per contest (2.20).
• In league-only action, Hinchcliffe is first in goals per game (5.00), points per contest (9.00) and assists per tilt (4.00), third in shots per match (7.50) and sixth in draw controls (4.50). Califano is third in the MAC in league-only goals against average (4.00) and in saves percentage (.619) and sixth in saves per game (6.50). Additionally, Baumer is third in points per contest (5.00), fourth in goals per game (3.00) and shot per match (7.00) and sixth in assists per match (2.00), Carey is third in goals per game (3.50) and ninth in shots (5.00) and points per contest (3.50), Fletcher is third in points per contest (5.00), fifth in assists per tilt (2.50) and sixth in goals per game (2.50), sophomore Keira Fontaine (Lido Beach, N.Y.) is sixth in assists per game (2.00).

ZIPS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS:
• Katie Baumer is 42nd in the NCAA in free position goals (0.70).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe rated fourth in the NCAA in goals per game (4.10) and in free position percentage (.800), fifth in total goals (41), sixth in shots (8.20), seventh in points per match (5.70), ninth in total points (57), 16th in shots on goal (5.40) and 23rd in free position goals (0.80). Additionally, Kellen Fletcher is 42nd in total assists (19) and assists per game (1.90) and Adrianna Califano is 20th in goals against average (8.90).
• Akron ranks first in the NCAA in free position percentage (.667), 23rd in winning percentage (.700), 19th in ground balls (17.20), 25th in assists per game (7.10), 26th in scoring margin (3.90), 27th in scoring defense (8.90), 31st in points per match (19.90), 37th in scoring offense (12.80), 39th in shot percentage (.449) and 49th in shots per contest (28.50).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe ranks 12th among active NCAA D1 leaders in goals per outing (3.00), 15th in points per game (3.96) and 24th in total goals (135), while Katie Baumer is rated 39th in caused turnovers (1.08), 49th in draw controls (2.95) and 50th in ground balls (91) and Adrianna Califano is ranked 11th in goals against average (8.90).

UP NEXT:
Akron travels to league-leading Massachusetts for a noon showdown on Saturday (April 4) in Amherst, Mass.