TOWSON, Md. – Fresh off a 10-7 victory over Mount St. Mary's in the season opener, the Towson University women's lacrosse will host UMBC (0-0) on Friday afternoon at Tiger Field. First draw is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Freshman Lindsey Marshall scored three goals and won a game-high four draw controls in her collegiate debut to lead the way against The Mount. Carly Merlo made nine saves in the victory, while All-American defender Sami Chenoweth caused three turnovers, increasing her school record total to 154.

Towson also got production from all three transfers: Natalie Miller (Maryland), Nikki Sliwak (Maryland) and Olivia Malamphy (Boston College).

Malamphy had a career-best four ground balls, caused two turnovers and won a draw control. The Archbishop Spalding graduate was named Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Defender of the Week for her performance. Sliwak scored a goal and added an assist, while Miller chipped in with a ground ball, draw control and caused turnover.

Kaitlin Thornton also had one goal and one assist versus the Mountaineers. It was the 31^st time in 44 career games that Thornton has produced multiple points. Shelby Stack scored her 50^th career goal one minute into the season. She has now scored at least one goal in 21 of the last 23 games, dating back to 2019. Blair Pearre scored a pair of free-position goals in the opener. The sophomore has scored at least two goals in six of seven games at the collegiate level.
 
Starting this season, the women's lacrosse team will be playing in the newly-renovated Tiger Field. A new grandstand and press box were completed last summer. The facility also has all-new lighting, allowing for night games. The lights include the MUSCO Show-Light package for programmed light shows and effects. Tiger Field is part of the Lower Fields Complex, which also includes two practice facilities.
 
Friday's game will be streamed on Towson Sports Network with Ben Rosenbaum on the call. Live stats will be available on TowsonTigers.com.

Towson has won eight of nine games against UMBC, including six straight. The two teams, separated by less than 20 miles, played nine consecutive seasons (2009-2017) with the Tigers outscoring the Retrievers, 116-57.
 
2021 PREVIEW
In the previous 10 seasons with Sonia LaMonica at the helm, the Tigers have won 110 games and earned spots in the NCAA Tournament six times. Towson has won seven Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament titles since 2005, including four under LaMonica. 

LaMonica's team will feature 10 starters from last year's squad, including All-American defender Sami Chenoweth and top goal scorers Blair Pearre and Shelby Stack. Those three student-athletes were selected Preseason All-CAA by the league coaches. Chenoweth was named Third Team preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse.

CAA CHANGES 
The CAA is using a divisional format this season to reduce travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Towson is in the North Division with Hofstra, Drexel and Delaware. The Tigers were picked to finish second in the division, behind Hofstra.  Five teams – the top two in each division plus one at-large selection – will advance to the league tournament hosted by James Madison on May 6, 7 and 9.
 
FINAL FOUR
The Tigers' former home, Johnny Unitas® Stadium, will be the home for the NCAA Division I 2021 Final Four. The semi-finals are scheduled to be played May 28 with the national championship two days later. Unitas Stadium previously hosted the Final Four in 208, 2009, 2010 and 2014.
 
LSN BROADCASTS
Towson will appear on Lax Sports Network's (LSN) Game of the Week package two times during the 2021 season. The Tigers host William & Mary on April 10 at Tiger Field. Eight days later, Towson's second showing takes place at James Madison.
 
SISTER, SISTER, SISTER, SISTER   
Towson's roster includes four sets of sister: Kaitlin and Kerri Thornton and three sets of twins – seniors Hannah and Madison Hobbes, juniors Kerri and Nicole Liucci and freshman Paige and Paiton Abbott.  
 
WARD MELVILLE SOUTH 
The Thornton, Hobbes and Liucci sisters all played at Ward Melville High School on Long Island during a five-year stretch between 2014-2018.
 
ROSTER MAKEUP
Nineteen student-athletes on the 2021 roster are from the Baltimore metropolitan area. Seven played in the powerful IAAM A Conference, six are from Carroll County schools, four played for Baltimore County programs with Howard County and Kent County being represented by one player each. Thirteen of the other 17 are from New York, including eight from Long Island.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
The brothers of Olivia Malamphy and Lindsay Posner are teammates at Salisbury, the top ranked team in Division III. Brett Malamphy is an All-American faceoff specialist, while Logan Posner runs first midfield for the Sea Gulls.
 
TIGERS IN THE COMMUNITY    
The Towson University athletics department deems community service as one of its highest priorities to give back to the Greater Baltimore area. Towson was on track to have its 8th consecutive year of over 10,000 hours of community service in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all activity.  Towson finished with 7,527 hours last year, good for third in the NCAA Teamworks Helper Helper competition. Towson ranked #1 nationally for community service and won the 2018 National Championship for Community Service through the Helper Helper NCAA Team Works Competition.  Towson also won the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award from Susan G. Komen of Maryland. 
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Several members of the Towson lacrosse program have connections with the UMBC team. During the summer, Sonia LaMonica is the head coach of the Women's Professional Lacrosse League's (WPLL) Baltimore Brave. Her assistant is UMBC head coach Amy Slade. Towson's Natalie Miller and Nikki Sliwak played at Maryland with UMBC star Courtney Renehan, winning the 2019 national championship. Towson midfielder Olivia LePage was high school teammates with Renehan and Rachel Montgomery at Glenelg. Paiton and Paige Abbott played with three Retrievers (Kennedy Evans, Jenna McDermott and Shannon Finch) at South Carroll. Gary Weishaar, the father of UMBC attacker Kelsey Weishaar, played football at Towson (1979-82).