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WLAX(17-3,7-2) v #11 Loyola(15-4,9-0) Friday,4pm ESPN3

Spiders are familiar with NCAA women's lacrosse tournament, but haven't seen Loyola in decades


Spiders' senior attack Marissa Brown leads Richmond with 89 points (40 goals, 49 assists).

  • UR ATHLETICS



Richmond women's lacrosse coach Allison Kwolek

  • DANIEL SANGJIB MIN/TIMES-DISPATCH

To Marissa Brown, Loyola-Maryland qualifies as a familiar opponent. Brown, a University of Richmond senior lacrosse attack, lives near Annapolis, Md., and has watched many a Greyhounds game over the years. She knows several members of the Baltimore-based team, and keeps in touch with them.

The Spiders (17-3) meet No. 11 Loyola (15-4) Friday at 4 p.m., in Princeton, N.J., in the first round of the NCAA tournament. “I think they’re obviously a really good team, but I do think we match up really well against them,” said Brown, UR’s leader in points, with 89 (40 goals, 49 assists).

The rest of the Spiders will have to take Brown’s word for it, because to most of them, Loyola is an unfamiliar opponent, despite the relative proximity of the similar schools. UR started its program in 1983 and played Loyola on a regular basis until 2001, when Richmond joined the A-10. The Spiders and Greyhounds have not met since.


“Richmond,” the A-10 champion, appeared alongside “Loyola,” the Patriot League champion, on the bracket revealed during the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse selection show Sunday night and UR coach Allison Kwolek went right to her phone to check out the Greyhounds’ results. Later that night, she started video review of their games and called some other coaches to get their perspective on Loyola.

Though Kwolek and the Spiders gained their intelligence on the Greyhounds on the fly as the week progressed, “I think this year what’s great is we know what it looks like to go into the NCAA tournament,” she said. “We know what that prep looks like, what practice [looks] like.”


Richmond last year won the A-10 and then traveled to Towson, Md., where the Spiders in their first NCAA tournament experience since 2007 allowed 15 first-half goals on the way to a 24-18 loss to Northwestern.


More than half of the Spiders’ 30 players are from New York or New Jersey, which is why Kwolek projected substantial support for UR at Princeton University, in Princeton, N.J.

On Sunday, the winner of UR-Loyola faces the winner of Princeton-Wagner.

“I feel like last year after we went to the NCAA tournament, it kind of did put us on the map. And this year, going back-to-back, I feel like we have really stepped into that role, like we’re a team on that national level that should get recognition," said Brown. "That’s something that’s been super-exciting for my [senior] class to kind of bring us to that national level."

Game notes:

https://admin.richmondspiders.com/s...ments/2019/5/9/URWLAXNotes_NCAAFirstRound.pdf
 
Common foes:

Loyola //// UR

UVA. 9-12 /// 5-19

AU. 17-9 /// 15-7



17-3 .................................... Overall Record .....................................15-4 . 308........................................ Goals Scored ....................................... 301 15.40...................................Goals Per Game .................................. 15.84 .440.................................... Shot Percentage ................................... .504 700............................................. Shots ............................................. 597 35.0.................................... Shots Per Game .................................... 31.4 140.............................................Assists ............................................ 180 194.......................................Goals Allowed ...................................... 168 9.70............................................. GAA ............................................. 8.84 402........................................ Ground Balls ....................................... 314 248....................................... Draw Controls ...................................... 276 288.......................................... Turnovers.......................................... 257 218.................................... Caused Turnovers.................................... 152
356-395 ..................................... Clears......................................312-348
 
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Lauren Kingsbury excited to be back in area with Richmond women's lacrosse for NCAA Tournament

5cd471862be4b.image.jpg

Lauren Kingsbury


Lauren Kingsbury remembers sitting in the stands as far back as the fifth grade at Princeton University's Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium and marveling at the women who played there.

That's when she decided that one day she wanted to play in college. Perhaps even get on the turf at Princeton.

That dream becomes a reality on Friday when Kingsbury, the former star at Hopewell Valley, and Richmond face Loyola in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at 4 p.m. If Kingsbury and the Spiders prevail, they'll likely meet host Princeton in Sunday's second round, assuming the Tigers avoid an upset against Wagner in Friday's nightcap.

“I’m so excited," said Kingsbury, a freshman. “This is almost like a home game for me. I’m so excited to be back, it’s really cool. I remember growing up and watching games on that field and now I’m going to be on that field playing."

Kingsbury played in all 20 games for the Atlantic-10 champion, caging 12 goals and adding six assists.

When the Spiders (17-3) defeated George Mason in the A-10 semifinals, Kingsbury posted a career best two goals and three points.

“This year has surpassed my expectations," said Kingsbury. “Winning the A-10 championship and now coming into the NCAA’s, it is a great opportunity.’’

During her four years at Hopewell Valley, Kingsbury helped lead the Bulldogs to four division titles, scored 207 career goals, had over 100 ground balls and was a two-time All-Trentonian performer.

Despite those lofty high school numbers, the college game at times can become daunting, especially for a freshman.

“The game is so much faster and you are surrounded by so many great players that it can become overwhelming," said Kingsbury. "I kept working and trying to improve my game.


“I have grown so much this year as a player and as a person. I’m learning to make better decisions and have worked hard to be significantly better than I was in the fall."

Kingsbury and her Spider teammates understand the challenge Loyola (15-4) brings. The Greyhounds hold a 20-2 advantage in the series and are led by All-America performer sophomore Livy Rosenzweig (42 goals, 64 assists).

Richmond is led by Marissa Brown with 40 goals and 49 assists, Sam Geiersbach has 56 goals and 11 assists, while Mia Castagnero and Katie Sciandra both have over 50 goals.

“This is awesome," said Kingsbury. “I grew up watching these teams and now I’m paying in the tournament. It’s almost surreal. It’s a great opportunity."

When Kingsbury looks into the stands to recall her days as a spectator, it’ll bring her full circle, from a dream to an amazing reality
 
Timid defense.

Loyola had 26 shots,of which 24 shots were on goal.

Of those 24 shots on goal,UR made only 5 saves.Hence 19 goals by Loyola.

Great shooting accuracy by Loyola and UR goalie did not have a good day.
 
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