University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Lacrosse To Host NCAA Runner Up, Semifinalist At UR Stadium In 2010
09/03/2009 | Women's Lacrosse
Sept. 3, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. -
The women's lacrosse team opens its 2010 schedule with the 2009 NCAA Semifinalist, Maryland Terrapins on February 14, 2010 in College Park, Md. The Spiders return home Feb. 19th to host the Duke Blue Devils and two days later square off against the 2009 NCAA Runner-up, North Carolina Tarheels. All home lacrosse matches are slated to be played at UR Stadium due to ongoing construction of First Market Stadium.
""We are very excited about the upcoming season," said first-year head coach Stephy Samaras. "We start off strong with the top four ACC teams and we feel those games will prepare us for our A-10 conference schedule."
After traveling to Virginia, American and ODU, Richmond returns to UR Stadium to host in-state rival, James Madison and Longwood. The Spiders travel to Towson March 20th before opening conference play March 26th against the Temple Owls. Richmond then goes on to host five consecutive home games before finishing the season on a two-game road swing at Duquesne and St. Bonaventure.
"It's great being located in the Mid-Atlantic Region and playing a majority of those programs," said Samaras. "The lacrosse talent is the best you can find and we feel we match up well against those teams."
Richmond loses All Conference first team selections, Mandy Friend and Allison Furstenburg, but return All Rookie A-10 sophomores Sam Tajirian. Fifield, an attack from North Babylon, N.Y. ranked third in goals (35) and ground balls (23) last season. Fifield earned a team-best 51 draw controls and was named A-10 Rookie of the Week (3/30) after scoring a career-high four goals in wins over St. Bonaventure and Duquesne.
Tajirian, a midfielder from Springfield, Pa., scored 12 goals and recorded 19 draw controls last season. Tajirian netted a career-high three goals in last year's double-overtime victory over Duquesne.
The Spiders also return seniors Alexis Brennan and goalkeeper Erica Marrocco. Marrocco appeared and started in all 18 games and recorded 126 saves on the season.
Richmond welcomes six newcomers to this year's lineup, including Under Armour All-American selection, Gaby Wiegand from Bayshore, N.Y.
