WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The William & Mary lacrosse team will look to extend its winning streak to four games when it concludes its non-conference slate at Coastal Carolina on Sunday at noon.
Live stats, as well as a
video broadcast, will be available at GoCCUSports.com.
A Look at the Tribe
Having won its last three games, W&M enters Sunday's non-conference finale with a 5-3 record. The Tribe currently leads the Colonial Athletic Association in ground balls per game (21.25) and shooting percentage (.443), while it ranks second in caused turnovers per game (11.5) – a figure that ranks 17th nationally. Individually, junior goalie
Elsa Rall leads the conference in ground balls per game (3.38) and ranks third in saves per game (9.88). Additionally, freshman
Belle Martire ranks third in the CAA in goals per game (2.88), while classmate
Starr Howard is third in draw controls per game (5.12).
Scouting Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina currently owns a 4-2 record and has won its last two contests, which includes a victory against CAA opponent Delaware. The Chanticleers rank fourth nationally in shooting percentage (.507) and 12th in assists per game (7.5). Haley Alexander leads the team with 25 points (18g, 7a), while Samantha Courtemanche (14g, 7a) and Madeline Bromley (11g, 9a) have also come up big. Alexander's stat line also includes a team-high 11 caused turnovers and 12 draw controls.
| Matchup At A Glance |
|
W&M / Opp. |
CCU / Opp. |
| Goals Avg. |
10.75 / 11.12 |
12.67 / 11.17 |
| Shooting % |
.443 / .406 |
.507 / .429 |
| Assists |
19 / 43 |
45 / 22 |
| Ground Balls |
170 / 170 |
114 / 95 |
| Draw Controls |
99 / 90 |
64 / 86 |
| Turnovers |
160 / 147 |
93 / 98 |
| Caused Turnovers |
92 / 99 |
64 / 53 |
W&M-Coastal Carolina All-Time Series
Sunday's game will mark just the second meeting between W&M and Coastal Carolina, as the Tribe earned a 12-8 win against the Chanticleers at Martin Family Stadium on March 1, 2014. The Tribe held CCU scoreless for a span of more than 30 minutes and rattled off 10 unanswered goals en route to earning the victory.
Versus the Atlantic Sun Conference
W&M owns a 4-2 all-time record against teams currently competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference. In addition to the win against Coastal Carolina, the Tribe controls the all-time series against Liberty (2-1) and Stetson (1-0). W&M lost its only contest versus Jacksonville, while it has never played Kent State, Howard and Kennesaw State.
Last Time Out
W&M extended its winning streak to three games with a 17-13 victory at VCU on Sunday. The Tribe utilized an 8-1 run during the first half to build a seven-goal advantage late in the opening frame. Although VCU narrowed the margin to just three, 14-11, midway through the second half, the Tribe responded with three unanswered goals en route to securing its third straight win – all of which have come on the road. Junior
Meredith Hughes led W&M offensively with a career-high five goals to go with four draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Four of her goals came during the pivotal 8-1 run in the first half, while all four of her draw controls came in the opening stanza. After totaling a career-high 20 saves in W&M's win at Davidson earlier in the week, junior goalie
Elsa Rall posted another impressive performance and totaled 13 saves with a .500 save percentage. Nine of her stops came during the first half.
Impressive Streaks
With a win at Coastal Carolina, W&M will match its longest winning streak since 2015. Additionally, the Tribe last won four consecutive road games (which includes a neutral site win) in 2004. W&M last won four straight games away from Williamsburg played consecutively (which includes neutral site games) in 1992.
Rall, Martire Earn CAA Lax Weekly Honors
After posting tremendous performances in the William & Mary lacrosse team's pair of road victories at Davidson and VCU, junior goalie
Elsa Rall and freshman midfielder
Belle Martire were selected as the league's Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively. Rall finished the week with 33 saves and a .611 save percentage to go with a team-high 12 ground balls. Her best performance came in the 9-8 triumph at previously unbeaten Davidson where she set a single-game school record with 10 ground balls, while also totaling a career-high 20 saves – an impressive figure that ranks as the second-best single-game performance in school history and is just three shy of the program's record. Her outstanding effort also included a .714 save percentage. Martire was honored as the CAA's top rookie for the second consecutive week after another impressive set of efforts, as she totaled a team-high seven points (6g, 1a) with four ground balls, three caused turnovers and two draw controls. In the win at Davidson, Martire scored goals on all three of her shot attempts, which was highlighted by her game-winner with just 0:18 remaining.
Rall in the W&M Record Book
With her career-high 20-save effort in W&M's win at Davidson, which ranks as the second-best performance in school history, goalie
Elsa Rall has posted two of the program's top-four single-game save totals in school history. Last season, she posted 18 saves at Richmond, which ranks fourth.
On the Road
Sunday's game at Coastal Carolina continues a stretch of five consecutive road contests for W&M, which began at Longwood on March 9 and concludes at Hofstra on April 5. The Tribe's next home game will be against Drexel on April 7.
Closing in on the Top 10
With 47 caused turnovers, senior
Hannah Ryan is closing in on W&M's career top 10 list and needs just three more to secure a spot among the program's all-time greats.
Winning Draws
Freshman
Starr Howard has been outstanding on the draw circle this season and currently ranks third in the CAA in draw controls per game (5.12). Her best effort came against Virginia when she totaled eight – an impressive figure that ranks tied for fourth in school history and is just two shy of the program's single-game record. Her draw control total (41) ranks tied for ninth on W&M's single-season top-10 list.
Martire Honored as CAA Rookie of the Week
After posting tremendous performances in W&M's contests against Richmond and Longwood, freshman standout
Belle Martire was selected as the CAA Rookie of the Week on March 11. Martire finished the week with a team-high eight points (7g, 1) to go with five draw controls, two caused turnovers and two ground balls. Additionally, she posted a .538 shooting percentage. Martire's best performance came in the Tribe's 13-5 victory at Longwood when she totaled a career-high seven points (6g, 1a), as her six goals tied for the seventh-best single-game effort in school history. The Houston, Texas native also provided two ground balls, a draw control and a caused turnover in the win.
McElgunn Honored as CAA Defensive Player of the Week
After posting a tremendous performance in W&M's season-opening win against George Mason, senior
Anne McElgunn was selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the Week on Feb. 19. En route to helping W&M limit the Patriots to just six goals – including just one in the second half – McElgunn posted career highs with six caused turnovers and six ground balls. The impressive effort helped the Tribe force Mason into 30 turnovers, 23 of which were caused turnovers. W&M's defensive unit was dominant during large stretches of the contest, as it held Mason scoreless for the opening 16:03 of the first half and for the final 18:39 of the contest.
Great Defensive Effort
By limiting George Mason to just six goals in its season-opening win, W&M posted its best performance defensively in an opener since 2009 when it defeated Longwood, 19-6. Additionally, the Tribe's 23 caused turnovers represents the program's best effort since April 14, 2017 versus Delaware.
Opening with Success
With its win against George Mason, W&M improved to 35-14-1 all-time in season openers and 30-10 all-time in home openers. Additionally, the Tribe has won 12 of its last 16 home openers.
Next Up
Following Sunday's game at Coastal Carolina, the Tribe will return to action when it opens its conference slate at Hofstra on April 5.
