Women’s Lacrosse Travels to No. 15/12 UPenn for Midweek Matchup

Wednesday, February 28

Philadelphia, PA

6:30 PM

Rutgers University

UPenn

Photo by: Mel Evans

Women’s Lacrosse Travels to No. 15/12 UPenn for Midweek Matchup

Feb 27 | Women's Lacrosse

Game Notes Live Video ($): Ivy Digital Network Live Results

Scarlet Knights looking for fourth consecutive win Wednesday against Quakers

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's lacrosse (3-1, 0-0) takes a three-game winning streak to Philadelphia when it competes against No. 15/12 UPenn (2-0, 0-0) Wednesday night at Franklin Field.

The game will broadcast live on the Ivy League Network as well as locally on NBC Sports Philly.

Last Time Out
Senior captain Kerri Puckhaber and sophomore Samantha Budd each produced four goals, junior Abbey Brooks dished out three assists and RU earned its third consecutive win with a 14-10 victory over Delaware last Saturday at High Point Solution Stadium.

Senior Paige Paratore and junior Dana Gisonno each contributed two goals for the Scarlet Knights, who outshot the Blue Hens, 38-27. Senior captain Alana Navaroli produced a season-high 10 draw controls to help RU win the draw control battle over Delaware, 18-9, and junior Devon Kearns muscled nine saves for her third win of the season.

RU also forced 13 Delaware turnovers and outscored the Blue Hens, 5-2, in the final 20 minutes of the contest to secure the program's first win over Delaware in its past four outings.

Budd, who contributed five points towards the final result, has now scored 10 goals in her last two games and now leads the team with 12 goals through RU's first four contests.

Scouting UPenn
The Quakers (2-0) enter Wednesday's midweek matchup ranked No. 15 in the latest coaches poll and No. 12 in the Cascade media poll.

In its last time out, UPenn defeated then-No. 22 Johns Hopkins, 12-11, in the final minute courtesy of an unassisted goal from Zoe Belodeau last Saturday in Philly.

Through two games, Belodeau leads the program with eight points, while Alex Condon is the top goal scorer for UPenn with six.

Maggie Smith and Mikaila Cheesman have split time in cage, with Smith owning a 7.00 GAA in two games.

The Series
The all-time series between the two programs is tied, 9-9, with the Quakers winning the last four outings. Last season, the Scarlet Knights produced a hard-fought loss to the then-No. 10 Quakers, succumbing 11-9 at High Point Solutions Stadium.

Going for 300
Rutgers' next victory will be a milestone, as it will be the 300th in program history.

The Budd Factor
Budd has shined in her past two games, totaling 12 points and 10 goals in her last two outings. Against Monmouth, the midfielder produced a career-high seven points and six goals to help RU to a 19-8 road win on Feb. 17.

Puckhaber on Attack
Puckhaber has been an offensive threat for RU since rejoining the lineup at LIU Brooklyn. In three games, Puckhaber has produced three multi-goal outings, including a career-high four against Delaware last Saturday.

Balanced Score Sheet
The Scarlet Knights once again feature a balanced scoring attack, as six players have totaled six or more points through the first four games of 2018.

Budd leads the team with 15 points (12g, 3a), Brooks owns 12 points (6g, 6a), while Puckhaber has contributed 10 points on eight goals and two assist.

Budd Controls
Budd produced a career game in her first outing of 2018, collecting 12 draw controls, two caused turnovers, a ground ball, a goal and an assist on Feb. 10 at Temple.

The 12 draw controls against the Owls tied a program single-game record, also held by teammate Alana Navaroli who accomplished the feat last season against Manhattan.

After four games, Budd leads the team in draw controls with 23 in 2018.

Up Next
Rutgers hosts Drexel for a 1 p.m. contest at High Point Solutions Stadium on Saturday, March 3.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers women's lacrosse, follow the program Facebook, and on Twitter and Instagram @RULaxBrand. Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.