WILKES-BARRE, PA (March 11, 2019) – The King's College women's lacrosse team returns to action in Pennsylvania as they take on Penn State Abington this Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. The Monarchs look to bounce back from two defeats in Florida in this home matchup against the Lions.
 
Event Details
Opponent: vs. Penn State Abington (0-1, 0-0 NEAC)
Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA  - McCarthy Stadium (Directions)
Live Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Last Time Out: The Monarchs (1-4) put up a valiant effort against No. 19/17 St. John Fisher College (2-1) last Friday in Clearwater, Florida, but the Cardinals eventually edged King's 21-3 in the non-conference matchup.
 
After the Cardinals scored the first nine points of the game, the Monarchs got on the board with a smooth transition play as sophomore goalkeeper Orla Cottell made a save and a quick clear to set up freshman Jen O'Connor to feed to sophomore Emma Lehman for her fifth goal of the year. O'Connor also added to the score after forcing a turnover with nine minutes to go in the first half, making the score 12-2 going into halftime.

Cottell had her own personal victory during the first half, earning her 200th career stop and becoming the sixth player in program history to earn that distinction.
 
The Monarchs held a 6-5 edge in draw controls and were successful on three of four clear attempts in the second half. Freshman Natasha Koslop rounded out the third goal for King's, scoring on her only shot of the game.
 
O'Connor posted a goal, assist, six draw controls and two ground balls for King's. Junior defender Jennifer Smalley added two ground balls and a caused turnover, and sophomore Mary Kate Klodarska added two draw controls.
 
The Cardinals finished with 15 total goal scorers, led by Mary Grace Doyle with four goals.
 
A Look At The Monarchs (1-4, 0-0 MAC Freedom):
 

• The Monarchs' offense continues to prove strong as they total 43 goals thus far, which ranks third in the conference.
• The Monarchs' young team also continues to impress, seeing as all but one goal has come from the underclassmen.
• King's has one of the highest shooting percentages in the MAC Freedom Conference with 46.7%, led by freshman Natasha Koslop with 22 total shots. Freshman Emily Sims tallies seven goals on 14 shots and sophomore Emma Lehman has made five of seven shots.
• As of Monday, King's is second in the conference in shooting percentage, while ranking 64^th nationally.
• Sophomore Orla Cottell ranks 17^th in the country and first in the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom in saves with 55.
• Freshman Jen O'Connor leads the team in draw controls with a total of 28 and is first in the conference with 10 assists. It also ranks 34^th in the country.
• Mary Kate Klodarska ranks 84^th in the nation in assists with seven, and is second on the team in points with 13.
• Junior Kelly Pierce proves to be one of the strongest defenders for King's with a team-best 16 groundballs, which ranks 13th in the conference, and nine caused turnovers.

A Look At The Nittany Lions (0-1, 0-0 NEAC):

• Penn State Abington finished seventh in the North Eastern Athletic Conference in 2018, and dropped its first game of the season to Alvernia University, 22-1.
• Junior Jillian Stokes returns after earning Third Team All-Conference last season.  The junior midfielder scored 21 goals and racked up 48 draw controls, caused 22 turnovers and scooped 40 ground balls for the Nittany Lions.  Her 48 draw controls led the Nittany Lions in the 2018 season, and put her tied for second on the team.
• Senior Melissa Felicetti will look to bring her veteran presence being a three-year starter for the Nittany Lions. Last season she finished with 29 goals and six assists.  In the midfield she earned 21 ground balls, and caused 12 turnovers.
• PSU Abington was picked to finish fifth in the NEAC this spring.
• Freshman goalkeeper Cheyanne Grumm played all 60 minutes in the first game of the season for the Nittany Lions, making 10 saves.
• Alynn Phelan is the only person on the team to have a goal, scoring on one of her team-leading three shots.
• Games with Rutgers-Camden and Elizabethtown College were cancelled due to weather.

Against Penn State Abington: King's has never played Penn State Abington.
 
Up Next: King's travels to Annville, PA as they face Lebanon Valley College on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. in another non-conference matchup.