ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Feb. 25, 2016) - The Molloy College women's lacrosse team will open its 2016 campaign on Sunday (Feb. 28) at 12 p.m. at John A. Darcy Field in a matinee affair with the Purple Knights of Saint Michael's College.
About The Lions- The Lions went 9-7 overall and 4-4 in conference play last season, falling in the East Coast Conference semifinals to LIU Post on Apr. 30, 2015.
- Molloy returns 21 of its players from last season's squad, including ECC Rookie of the Year
Jessica Markowitz (Baldwin, N.Y.), who scored 39 goals and had seven assists in a brilliant freshman campaign. Also returning for the maroon and white this season are All-ECC First-Team and IWLCA All-North Region Third-Team members
Cooper Sesselman (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) and graduate attacker
Meghan Orlando (Hicksville, N.Y.). On defense,
Chelsea Bauer (Hicksville, N.Y.) returns after an All-Conference First-Team selection in 2015 while senior middie
Katie O'Brien (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) is also back after being named to the All-ECC Second Team for a second consecutive season.
- Sesselman led the team with 62 points (46 goals and 16 assists) in 2015, while Orlando had a team-best 43 assists. O'Brien added 32 goals and 14 assists and Bauer sported impressive defensive statistics as well (21 ground balls, 31 draw controls and 13 caused turnovers).
- Head Coach
Tom Campolettano returns for his eleventh season as the leader of the Lions' women's lacrosse program. The only head coach in Molloy women's lacrosse history currently sports a record of 86-70-1.
Concerning the Purple Knights- 13 players return from a Saint Michael's team that went 6-9 in 2015. The Purple Knights won all of their games in conference, losing its only out-of-conference game to Roberts Wesleyan on Mar. 17 in Rochester.
- Steph Bonewald (New London, N.H.) is the team's leading returning scorer, having 25 goals in 2015. The senior midfielder also led the team wit 20 caused turnovers and was a 2015 IWLCA All-North Region Third-Team honoree.
- Senior attacker Maggie Dougherty (Verona, N.J.) had eight assists last season, which is the most for a player returning to Colchester, Vt. this season.
- Brigid Brady will head into her third season as head coach of the Purple Knights in 2016. The University of New Haven alumna has won six games with Saint Michael's in both of her seasons, and last year her team made the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament for the first time since 2008.
Did You Know?- This will be the first meeting between Molloy and Saint Michael's in the history of both women's lacrosse programs.
- The Purple Knights have played 86 contests against schools in New York State before Sunday's first meeting with Molloy. Saint Michael's is 40-46 in those games.
- Molloy was dominant at home last season, winning seven of its eight contests played at Darcy Field. The 7-1 record was the second-best home mark in program history behind the 10-0 home record of the 2010 team (which also won a program-best 15 games).
