THIS WEEK
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's lacrosse team will be traveling to Kansas City, Mo. to take on Rockhurst University for their final game of the regular season. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 27 at 11 a.m.

ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
After a tough two-game stretch against two top-10 opponents, the Mountain Lions now have a record of 6-8 overall this season, which includes a 4-4 record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). That record keeps UCCS at the fifth spot in the RMAC rankings. Nearing the end of the regular season, UCCS has scored 199 goals (fifth in the RMAC) on 450 shots for shooting percentage of 44.2 percent (sixth in the RMAC).

Statistically, UCCS also has 29 free position goals, 285 total points (20.36 per game, both fourth in the RMAC), 86 assists (6.14 per game, fourth and third in the RMAC), 328 ground balls (23.43 per game, both fourth in the RMAC), 136 caused turnovers (9.71 per game, both fifth in the RMAC) and 214 draw controls (15.29 per game, fourth and third in the RMAC).

Angela Naughton and Kiera Lowe are tied for the team lead in goals with 33 each. Naughton has the slight edge in points thanks to 16 assists, while Lowe has 10 of her own. Natalie Church remains the team leader in assists at 21 (1.50 per game, fifth and sixth in the RMAC) and also has 22 goals (third on the team) for her 43 points this year, which is tied with Lowe for the second most on the team. Brianna Martinez and Madison Ellis round out the top goal scorers for UCCS with 19 and 20 respectively on the season.

Church remains in the top-five of the RMAC in draw controls with 89 (6.36 per game, both third in the RMAC), while Ellie O'Brien also remains in the top five of the RMAC in both ground balls (69, 4.93 per game, both second in the RMAC) and caused turnovers (34, 2.43 per game, both third in the RMAC). 

Kennedy Travis remains the starter between the pipes for UCCS as she has accumulated 86 saves (sixth in the RMAC) and a 5-4 record this season.

LAST TIME OUT
For the second time this season, UCCS had to play multiple ranked opponents within the span of a few days. First came #4 Regis University and UCCS did not fare well. After the Mountain Lions scored the first goal of the game, Regis would go on to score nine unanswered goals and finish the first half up 11-3. The Rangers stayed in control of the game in the second half and UCCS would fall by a score of 5-16.

UCCS had five different players score each of the goals in the game. Morgan Miller got things started by scoring the first goal of the game, followed by Natalie Church and Heather O'Hern in the first half. Angela Naughton and Sydney Malcolm would add the final two goals for UCCS in the second half.

Brianna Martinez, O'Hern and Naughton would all tally assists in the game as well. Gianni Cannon, Ellie O'Brien and Emma Becker led both teams in ground balls with five, while Church again led the Mountain Lions in draw controls with three. Audrey Napp led both teams in caused turnovers with five.

Kennedy Travis got the start in this game and allowed 10 goals in 24 minutes of play. Emma Becker would come in relief of Travis and rack up nine saves and six goals allowed in 36 minutes in the net.

UCCS' second ranked opponent in three days was #8 Lindenwood University. This game proved to be very competitive as the two teams were separated by only two goals at half-time. UCCS scored the first goal of the game 21 seconds in. The first half was a back and forth affair that finished with Lindenwood up 9-7. The Mountain Lions opened the second with five unanswered goals to take a 12-9 lead, but Lindenwood bounced back with six unanswered goals, making the score 15-12. UCCS would close the gap to 15-14, but Lindenwood was able to hold them off and take the game by a score of 18-15.

Eight different Mountain Lions netted goals in this game, with Malcolm and Church recording hat tricks. Naughton, Napp and Lowe all netted two goals in the game while O'Hern, Kyer Frederick and Madison Ellis all tallied one.

Church led the Mountain Lions in points for the game thanks to three assists to go along with her hat trick. O'Brien led both teams in ground balls with seven and, along with Church, led UCCS in caused turnovers with two.

Kennedy Travis played all 60 minutes in the net and racked up a game high seven saves in a tough losing effort.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS
Rockhurst has a 9-7 record this season which includes a 5-3 record in the RMAC. Those numbers give them the fourth spot in the RMAC rankings. The Hawks are coming off of a dominant 20-2 victory over Oklahoma Baptist University. As a team, the Hawks have scored 226 goals (third in the RMAC) on 476 shots this season for s shooting percentage of 47.5 percent. 

The Hawks also have 47 free position goals, 273 total points (fifth in the RMAC), 47 assists (fifth in the RMAC), 329 ground balls (third in the RMAC), 201 draw controls (fifth in the RMAC), and 177 caused turnovers (fourth in the RMAC).

Logan Derosia and Marianna Anderson lead the offense for Rockhurst with 50 (second in the RMAC) and 45 (fourth in the RMAC) goals this season. Hannah Miller leads the team in assists with 16 and has 32 goals as well for her 48 points (second on the team behind Derosia). 

Maddi Scheipeter leads the team in draw controls with 62 (sixth in the RMAC), while Bunga Spencer and Hanna Meek lead the team in ground balls and caused turnovers at 33 and 19 respectively. 

Molly Dunham is the main goalkeeper for the Hawks as she has 14 starts under her belt this year. In her 15 total appearances, Dunham has racked up 100 saves and an 8-6 record.

WEATHER FORECAST 
The forecast for Kansas City, Mo. on Saturday, Apr. 27 shows a high temperature of 76 degrees with scattered clouds. Winds are expected to gust up to 17 miles per hour. For any updates, stay tuned to gomountainlions.com.

UP NEXT
The RMAC Tournament begins next weekend (May 2-4) and UCCS will be participating in the postseason. The schedule will be released at the conclusion of the regular season.