PISCATAWAY – No. 17 Rutgers women's lacrosse (3-2) heads south for a pair of games in Nashville, Tennessee. The Scarlet Knights open Big Ten Conference action with a neutral-site game against RV Penn State (4-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, followed by a matchup with Vanderbilt (2-4) on Monday at 1 p.m. ET. Both games will be played at the Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex. Saturday's game against the Nittany Lions will not be streamed. Monday's game against the Commodores will stream on ESPN+.
 

Last Time Out

• The Scarlet Knights lost to No. 15 Princeton, 18-12, last Wednesday night at SHI Stadium in their last time out. Tied 8-8 at halftime, the Tigers outscored RU 6-1 in the fourth quarter to earn the road win in Piscataway.
• Senior Cassidy Spilis netted four goals and added a season-high eight draw controls in the loss to Princeton, scoring four or more goals in her fourth consecutive game.

Records, Milestones to Watch

• Sophia Cardello is six saves away from 300 for her career.
• Cassidy Spilis is five ground balls away from 100 for her career.
• Marin Hartshorn is four goals away from 100 for her career.
• Jenna Byrne is seven points away from 100 for her career.

Statistical Leaders

• Meghan Ball
  • 4.6 Caused Turnovers Per Game (First NCAA, First Big Ten)
  • 7.0 Draw Controls Per Game (11th NCAA, First Big Ten)
  • 4.2 Ground Balls Per Game (Fourth NCAA, First Big Ten)
• Cassidy Spilis
  • 20 Goals (19th NCAA, Third Big Ten)
  • 20 Points (Eighth Big Ten)
  • 1.6 Caused Turnovers Per Gam (Fourth Big Ten)
  • 2.2 Ground Balls Per Game (Sixth Big Ten)
• Sophia Cardello
  • 9.14 Goals Against Average (23rd NCAA, Second Big Ten)
  • .511 Save Percentage (15th NCAA, Second Big Ten)
  • 44 Saves (Fourth Big Ten)
  • 9.20 Saves Per Game (36th NCAA, First Big Ten)

Ball in Charge

• Senior Meghan Ball opened the season with back-to-back IWLCA National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week laurels. Ball leads the NCAA with 4.6 caused turnovers per game and leads the Big Ten in draw controls-per-game (7.0) and ground balls-per-game (4.2). Ball became the program's all-time leader in caused turnovers and draw controls earlier this season.
  

Spilis Scores at Will

• Senior Cassidy Spilis has been one of the top scorers in the country this season, with her 20 goals ranking third in the Big Ten and 19th nationally. Spilis is averaging four goals per game and is also fourth in the conference with 1.6 caused turnovers per game.
• At 164 career goals, Spilis' passed Katie Batiuk (2004-07) for the third most goals in school history and needs 10 goals to pass Heather Jones (1991-94) for second all-time at Rutgers.
  

Scouting Penn State and Series History

• Despite hat tricks from Meghan Murray and Kristin O'Neill, Penn State lost to Vanderbilt, 10-9, on Wednesday in Nashville in its last time out.
• The Nittany Lions are 4-2 this season and are receiving votes in the latest IWLCA Coaches Poll.
• O'Neill leads Penn State with 20 points on 18 goals and two helpers.
• Penn State leads the all-time series with Rutgers, 21-2, but the Scarlet Knights have won the past two meetings. RU defeated PSU, 18-13, last season in Piscataway.

Scouting Vanderbilt and Series History

• The Commodores own wins over Penn State and then-No. 25 Colorado this season.
• Vanderbilt appeared in the IWLCA Coaches Poll earlier this season before dropping out of the rankings.
• Bri Gross leads Vanderbilt with 14 points on 11 goals and three assists.
• This will be the first meeting all-time between Vanderbilt and Rutgers.

Up Next

• Rutgers hosts No. 11 Maryland on Saturday, March 18 at SHI Stadium. First draw is set for noon and will stream on Big Ten Plus.