GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – In the final home game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season the Colorado Mesa Mavericks will play Fort Lewis on Friday at 4 pm on Walker Field. Prior to the game CMU will honor the team's five seniors in a senior day celebration which will begin at 3:30 pm. This year's senior class includes Olivia Hayden, Miranda Crissman, Katelyn Parry, Amanda Barton, and Erin Koehler.
This senior class has totaled a 48-14 record over the four years.
The 12-2 Mavs are led by Paige Elliott and Olivia Hayden who each have 69 and 59 points, respectively. Paige's 4.00 assists per game ranks second among all Division II women's lacrosse players. The California native has totaled 52 on the season. Lakewood native Hayden ranks nationally in draw controls (fourth at 9.29), ground balls (second at 5.21), and caused turnovers (first at 3.64). Fellow senior Erin Koehler ranks alongside Hayden with 3.36 caused turnovers per game which is third best in the country.
As a team the Mavericks lead the RMAC in assists per game (10.29) and caused turnover per game (15.43). Each of those rank second in the nation amongst all Division II women's lacrosse programs. The Mavericks' 16.50 goals per game is twelfth best in the nation and second among RMAC schools.
So far this season the Mavericks have recorded 231 goals and scored 25 times off of free position shots. The Maverick team is one ground ball away from totaling 400 ground balls on the season and are clearing at a rate of 77.7 percent.
Record Setting Seniors
Just this year senior's Olivia Hayden and Erin Koehler have earned RMAC Player of the Week a combined six times. Hayden has written her name all over the record book as she has totaled 148 career goals which ranks second in career records at CMU. Her 171 ground balls rank first in the career record book and is followed by fellow senior Erin Koehler who has racked up 131 ground balls. Hayden continues to set the school records for both draw controls (351) and caused turnovers (111) as she currently ranks first in both categories with more games to be played. Koehler's 88 caused turnover of her career is second in the CMU record book.
Katelyn Parry is thirteenth in career ground balls (60) and tied for tenth in caused turnovers (31). She has played in 57 games over her career and won 15 draw controls.
Amanda Barton has appeared in 53 games and recorded 37 goals. She has totaled 27 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers. She has earned All-RMAC Academic Honor Roll three times in her career.
Miranda Crissman is a three-time All-RMAC Academic Honor Roll recipient and has appeared in 26 games over her Maverick career.
Player of the Week
For the second time this season senior Olivia Hayden earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week. In the 20-5 win over the Griffins, Hayden broke her own school-record by claiming 14 draw controls while registering a season-high ten groundballs. She also caused four turnovers. At the offensive end shes scored five goals.
National Ranking
As of April 22 the Mavericks were ranked No. 15 in the IWLCA National Poll. Regis ranks fourth and Lindenwood sits behind the Rangers at No. 9.
In the Nike/ US Lacrosse Ranking released by the US Lacrosse Magazine the Mavericks were ranked No. 14.
Regional Ranking
Released on April 24 the Mavericks held the No. 4 spot in the Midwest Regional ranking and remain in position to possibly earn a first ever NCAA Division II Tournament berth. There will be one more regional ranking released next Wednesday (May 1st) before the NCAA Tournament bracket is released which will included the top four teams from this region.
Scouting Fort Lewis College
The Skyhawks are currently 2-7 overall with both of their wins coming from conference games where they own a 2-6 record. They defeated Oklahoma Baptist (16-6) and most recently defeated Adams State (16-1) before forfeiting their next two games against Lindenwood and CSU-Pueblo due to injuries and being unable to fill a roster.
Abby Escandon leads the team with 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists). She has recorded one game winning goal and has a 90.0 shots on goal percentage.
Daris Wienk has picked up a team high 22 ground balls while Aitlana Rivera has totaled 11 caused turnover to lead the Skyhawks.
