Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewa Lacrosse Welcomes League Power Jacksonville
4/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Lacrosse
Zach Libby, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan lacrosse team will officially celebrate its first season on Friday when the Chippewas entertain Jacksonville in an Atlantic Sun Conference game at 6:10 p.m.
The program dedication is scheduled for 5:55 p.m. and will involve members of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe as well as the representatives of the university and community members. The pregame ceremony will include a traditional Anishinabe blessing and other traditional elements.
The Chippewas are coming off a 14-7 road victory on Sunday over Presbyterian, which snapped a four-game losing streak. CMU is 4-6 overall, 0-2 league. Jacksonville is 9-4 and leads the Atlantic Sun at 4-0. CMU will entertain Stetson (5-8, 1-3) in a league game at noon on Sunday.
Jacksonville, which has won five straight games and nine of its last 10, has never lost an Atlantic Sun game in the four-year existence of the league. The Dolphins are 20-0 in league games, and have won all three conference tournament championships.
"The players get up for these big opportunities and it seems to be the reality right now," CMU coach Sara Tisdale said.
The Dolphins feature the best offense and best defense in the conference, averaging a league-best 14.92 goals per game while surrendering just 7.13.
Attacker Danielle Della Rocca, who ranks second in the conference in points (45) and third in goals (31).
Jacksonville presents another hefty challenge for Central Michigan's defense, which ranks sixth in the conference in goals against at 11.4 per game.
Jacksonville tends to run a freelance style of offense, which aims to showcase the likes of Rocca. It's not unlike what Central Michigan encountered two weeks ago when it played in-state rival Detroit.
"I don't think we're in a bad spot," Tisdale said. "I do see this as a challenge and an opportunity to get better. That is kind of our way on going about it."
Jocelyne Lemay leads CMU with 24 goals and 26 points. Her goal total ranks eighth in the Atlantic Sun. Both Summer Abdalla (15 goals, 22 points) and Anna Schoonover (10 goals, 21 points) have made considerable strides offensively in the past two weeks for the Chippewas.
Goalkeeper Dominique Hamman will likely get the start in both games for CMU. She ranks fourth in the league in both saves (81) and save percentage (.440).
Sunday's opponent, Stetson, sits in seventh place in the league standings while the Chippewas are eighth. The top six teams in the final regular-season standings earn a berth in the league tournament.
The Hatters snapped a four-game losing streak on Sunday with an 18-5 home victory over Howard. They play at Detroit on Friday.
Attacker Hallie Merz leads the Hatters 27 goals and 16 assists, which is good for fifth and third in the conference, respectively.
Stetson ranks seventh in the conference in both goals per game (9.20) and goals against (12.71).
The Hatters' four-game losing streak included league losses at Mercer and Kennesaw State, both of which are located in Georgia.
"Our mentality going into Stetson is that we know that they're going to be gunning for us," Tisdale said. "They lost both games to the Georgia teams two weeks ago so for them to make the Atlantic Sun Tournament, we are a must-win opponent."
