TOWSON, Md. – The Towson women's lacrosse team will face its toughest test of the young season when Loyola makes the three mile drive up Charles Street for a Wednesday evening contest at Tiger Field. First draw is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
After starting the season with back-to-back victories over Mount St. Mary's and UMBC, Towson (2-0) received votes in the latest Women's Division I Media Poll announced Monday by Inside Lacrosse. The Tigers are one of six teams outside of the Top 20 to receive votes. Towson also garnered votes in the U.S. Lacrosse Women's Top 20 poll.
 
The Greyhounds opened the season ranked in the top five in both the IWLCA Coaches and Division I Media polls but dropped its season opener to now #2 Syracuse last weekend. This week, Loyola is #8 in the Coaches Poll and #10 in the Media Poll.

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.
 
Wednesday's game will be streamed on Towson Sports Network with Ben Rosenbaum on the call. Live stats will be available on TowsonTigers.com.

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 features 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.
 
The 2021 team has 13 fresh faces, including talented transfers Natalie Miller (Maryland), Nikki Sliwak (Maryland) and Olivia Malamphy (Boston College).
 
THE RECORD HOLDER
Sami Chenoweth has caused five turnovers in the first two games of the season, increasing her school and CAA record total to 156. With a team-high four ground balls against UMBC, the Manchester Valley product moved ahead of Towson Hall of Famer Shannon Witzel for 10^th on the all-time list with 137.
 
SCORING IN BUNCHES
Blair Pearre scored a career-best four goals in the victory over UMBC. The sophomore has scored at least two goals in seven of eight games at the collegiate level. The former Under Armour All-American had four hat tricks in six games as a freshman.
 
FRESHMAN SENSATION
Two games into her career, midfielder Lindsey Marshall has been impressive with back-to-back hat tricks and wining nine draw controls. The Catonsville graduate scored three goals and had a game-high four draw controls in the season opener against The Mount. Six days later, she scored three goals and won five second half draw controls in a win over UMBC.
 
MISS CONSISTENCY
Kaitlin Thornton has multiple points in both games this season. The senior, who has 106 career points (74g, 32a), has produced multiple points in 32 of 45 games in a Towson uniform.
 
STACKING GOALS
Shelby Stack scored her 50^th career goal one minute into the season at Mount St. Mary's. She added another tally against UMBC and has now scored at least one goal in 22 of the last 24 games, dating back to 2019.
 
ROCK SOLID
Carly Merlo ranks in the Top 10 nationally in both goals-against average (6.0) and save percentage (.600) through the games played through Feb. 22. The sophomore has allowed just 12 goals and made 18 saves in wins over Mount St. Mary's (10-7) and UMBC (12-5).
 
SPEED DEMONS
In the win over UMBC, seven players were clocked at speeds of at least 17 miles per hour - Olivia Malamphy (17.46), Blair Pearre (17.38), Nicole Liucci (17.34), Lindsey Marshall (17.17), Erin Williams (17.10), Rayna Deltuva (17.02) and Kaitlin Thornton (17.00).
 
AWARD WINNER
Sophomore Olivia Malamphy was named Colonial Athletic Association Defender of the Week by the league office on Feb. 16. In her first game in a Towson uniform, the Boston College transfer had a game-high four ground balls, caused two turnovers and won a draw control in the Tigers season opening 10-7 victory over Mount St. Mary's.
 
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.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Several members of the Towson lacrosse program have connections with the Loyola team. Towson head coach Sonia LaMonica and Loyola head coach Jen Adams were teammates at Maryland and on the Australian National Team. Towson's Blair Pearre and Loyola's Blake Cunneen were teammates at McDonogh. Olivia Malamphy and Greyhound defender Maria Kiskis played together at Archbishop Spalding. Towson GK Carly Merlo and Loyola midfielder Jillian Wilson were teammates at the Gerstell Academy. Towson's Sara Tyssowski and Loyola's Anna Ruby were members of the Westminster Owls lacrosse team.
 
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.
 
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.