TOWSON, Md. – For the fourth time since 2016, the Towson University women's lacrosse team will meet Elon in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament. The opening round game will take place at Sentara Park in Harrisonburg, Va. on Wednesday, May 5 at 4 p.m.
 
The CAA adopted a divisional format during the 2021 women's lacrosse season to reduce travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The seven teams were split into two divisions based on geographical location to create the North Division - Towson, Delaware, Drexel and Hofstra as well as the South Division - Elon, James Madison and William & Mary.
 
The championship field was expanded from four teams to five to accommodate the divisional structure of the league. The top two teams from each division earned a berth in the CAA tournament along with an at-large team chosen by a seeding from each coaching staff and a selection committee. 
 
Towson (8-7, 0-4 CAA North) received the at-large spot over William & Mary based off a 20-10 victory on April 10. Delaware suspended its season on April 1 after COVID-19 violations. The Tigers have lost five straight games, but all to teams currently ranked in the IWLCA Top 25 poll.
 
Elon (9-2, 3-1 CAA South) ranks second in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 6.9 goals per game. Elon has allowed 10 or more goals just two times all season. Towson is 0-5 this season when scoring less than 10 times.
 
Towson has won seven of eight matchups with Elon from 2015-19. In five career games versus the Phoenix, All-American defender Sami Chenoweth has caused 11 turnovers, scooped up 12 groundballs and won eight draw controls. The teams met in the CAA semifinals in 2016, 2017 and 2018. All three games were decided by two goals or less with Towson winning 8-6 in 2016 and 9-7 in 2018. In 2017, Elon upset the Tigers in overtime, 10-9.
 
The Towson/Elon winner advances to face top-seeded Drexel in the semifinals on Friday, May 7 at 4 p.m. The second semifinal game matches second-seeded James Madison against third-seeded Hofstra at 7 p.m. Friday.
 
The winners of the semifinal matchups will advance to the CAA Championship game Sunday, May 9 at 12:00 p.m.
 
2021 CAA Women's Lacrosse Championship presented by Primis
Wednesday, May 5
Game 1: #4 Elon vs #5 Towson – 4:00 p.m.
 
Friday, May 7 – CAA Championship Semifinals
Game 2: #1 Drexel vs Winner of Game 1 – 4:00 p.m.
Game 3: #2 James Madison vs #3 Hofstra - 7:00 p.m.
 
Sunday, May 9 – CAA Championship Final
Game 4: Winner of Game 2 vs Winner of Game 3 – 12:00 p.m.
 
SCORING IN BUNCHES
Blair Pearre scored a career-best seven goals, on just seven shots, in a win over William & Mary. The sophomore has scored at least two goals in 13 games this season and 18 of 21 at the collegiate level. The former Under Armour All-American has nine hat tricks in 2021 and leads Towson in goals (49), points (53) and groundballs (33) and is second in draw controls (57). She led the CAA with 26 free-position goals and ranks second nationally, averaging 1.73 free-position goals per game.
 
She is one goal away from becoming the ninth player in school history to score 50 goals in a season. It would be the 13^th 50-goal season as Ruthie Gutridge (1984-86), Shannon Witzel (2005-06) and Hilary Fratzke (2008 & 2010) reached the milestone in multiple seasons. The last Tiger to score 50 goals was Emily Gillingham (54) in 2018.
 
THE RECORD HOLDER
Sami Chenoweth led the CAA with 31 caused turnovers this season, increasing her school and league record to 182. With 27 groundballs, the Manchester Valley product has moved into 6th place on Towson's all-time list. She recorded the first two points of her career with assists versus Loyola and George Mason.
 
FRESHMAN SENSATION
Lindsey Marshall has been impressive with 43 points (29g, 14a) and a team leading 83 draw controls during her rookie campaign. The Catonsville graduate has four hat tricks, including a career-high five goals versus Georgetown. The midfielder won a season-best 10 draw controls against William & Mary and has won at least five draws on 11 occasions. The 83 draw controls ranks fourth in the Towson single-season record book. She is three away third place and seven shy of second.
 
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Talented transfers Natalie Miller (Maryland), Nikki Sliwak (Maryland) and Olivia Malamphy (Boston College) have made an immediate impact this season. Sliwak is second in scoring with 44 points (27g, 17a). The attacker scored a career-high five goals against William & Mary and handed out a career-best four assists in the first George Mason game. She is the only player to have a point in all 15 games. Miller, a starting defender, ranks second on the team with 14 caused turnovers, has picked up 17 groundballs and added an assist. Malamphy, Towson's defensive midfielder, ranks in the top five on the team in three categories: groundballs (18), caused turnovers (11) and draw controls (11).
 
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Towson has held five opponents to less than 10 goals this season. Twice, the Tigers have held opponents scoreless for more than 35 minutes in a game- Loyola (February 24) and George Mason (April 4). Starting defenders Sami Chenoweth, Rayna Deltuva, Erin Williams and Natalie Miller as well as defensive midfielder Olivia Malamphy and top reserve Gabby Biondi have scooped up 107 groundballs and caused 88 turnovers. In the win over Loyola, Chenoweth held All-American attacker Livy Rosenzweig to two assists. Against Stony Brook, Williams held All-American attacker Tayrn Ohlmiller to one assist. Malamphy held Hofstra All-American Alyssa Parrella to one goal in the first meeting between the teams.
 
CLEARING WITH CONFIDENCE
Towson has converted 277-of-308 clears (89.9%) this season, 16^th best among all D1 teams.
 
TOWSON TRENDS
Towson is 7-0 this season when leading at halftime, but is 0-6 when trailing after 20 minutes of play. The team is 1-1 when tied at the break. 
 
TEWAARATON WATCH LIST
Blair Pearre and Sami Chenoweth were two of the 66 women's lacrosse players named to the Tewaaraton Watch List. Since 2001, the Tewaaraton Award has been awarded to the most outstanding American college lacrosse men's and women's players. Neither player was on the list of 25 finalists.
 
MISS CONSISTENCY
Kaitlin Thornton has multiple points in eight games this season. The senior, who has 128 career points (92g, 36a), has produced multiple points in 38 of 58 games in a Towson uniform.
 
STACKING GOALS
Shelby Stack scored her 50th career goal one minute into the season at Mount St. Mary's. She added tallies in nine other games and has scored at least one goal in 29 of the last 37 games, dating back to the second game of the 2019 season.
 
ROCK SOLID IN THE CAGE
Carly Merlo ranks in the Top 40 nationally in both goals-against average (10.95) and save percentage (.451). The sophomore allowed just 19 goals and made 28 saves in wins over Mount St. Mary's (10-7), UMBC (12-5) and Loyola (13-7). Freshman Lindsay Posner has a 9.95 GAA in seven appearances.
 
THE RANKINGS
Towson was ranked in the IWLCA Division I Coaches Top 25 poll for nine consecutive weeks (March 1-April 26). The Tigers were ranked as high as No. 11 in the Women's Division I Inside Lacrosse Media Top 20 poll (March 8) and spent seven straight weeks in the U.S. Lacrosse poll.
 
125 & COUNTING
Sonia LaMonica picked up her 125th victory as a head coach when Towson beat George Mason on April 4. She is now 118-74 (.615) at Towson and won eight games during one season at Mount St. Mary's. In her 10 previous seasons, the Tigers have won four Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) tournament titles and earned spots in the NCAA Tournament six times.
 
SPEED DEMONS
So far this season, 15 players have been clocked at speeds of at least 17 miles per hour during a game. Olivia Malamphy, Nicole Liucci, Blair Pearre, Rayna Deltuva, Kaitlin Thornton, Lindsey Marshall, Erin Williams, Natalie Miller, Kerri Liucci, Julia Porter, Molly Lynch, Shelby Stack, Nikki Sliwak, Sami Chenoweth and Kerri Thornton have reached the number. Malamphy has been the fastest player four times with top speeds against The Mount (17.80), UMBC (17.46), Loyola (18.35) and James Madison (18.35). Pearre has led the team three times: versus Georgetown (18.04), the first Drexel game (18.60) and the first Hofstra game (17.76). Nicole Liucci had the best time in the first George Mason game (17.68). Deltuva was the fastest versus Stony Brook (17.92). Porter had the top time against Temple (17.82). Miller had the top time against St. Joe's (17.96). Chenoweth had the best time in the second George Mason game (17.84). Kaitlin Thornton was the fastest against William & Mary (17.68). Williams had the top time in the second Drexel game (18.43). Marshall was the fastest in the second Hofstra game (18.13).
 
AWARD WINNERS
Towson received six Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Player of the Week honors this season. Sophomore Olivia Malamphy was named Defender of the Week on February 16. Freshman midfielder Lindsey Marshall has earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors on March 2 and March 23. Junior Erin Williams was named Defender of the Week on March 16. Blair Pearre earned Rookie of the Week honors on April 13 and May 3. For spring sports, the CAA ruled that true freshman who played a shortened season last year are eligible this season for Rookie of the Week since the league did not name an All-Rookie team in 2020.
 
PRESEASON PICKS
All-American defender Sami Chenoweth and midfielders Blair Pearre and Shelby Stack were selected Preseason All-CAA by the league coaches. Chenoweth was named Third Team preseason All-American by Inside Lacrosse.
 
ROSTER MAKEUP
Eighteen student-athletes on the 2021 roster are from the Baltimore metropolitan area. Seven played in the powerful IAAM A Conference, five are from Carroll County schools, four played for Baltimore County programs with Howard County and Kent County being represented by one player each. Twelve of the other 17 are from New York, including eight from Long Island.
 
SISTER, SISTER, SISTER, SISTER   
Towson's roster includes four sets of sisters: 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. The six have combined for 52 goals and 18 assists so far this season.
 
FAMILIAR FACES
Several members of the Towson lacrosse program have connections with the Elon team. Towson's Blair Goodrich and Elon's Cassidy Creighton were teammates at Kent Island High School, while Tiger freshman Riley Brogan played with Elon attacker Mae McGlynn in 2017 at Skaneateles High School.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
The brothers of Olivia Malamphy and Lindsay Posner are teammates at Salisbury, the No. 3 ranked team in Division III. Brett Malamphy is an All-American faceoff specialist, while Logan Posner runs second midfield for the Sea Gulls and is on the extra man unit.
 
NEW HOME VENUE
The Towson University women's lacrosse team played in the newly-renovated Tiger Field this season. 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.
 
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.
 
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 HelperHelper competition. Towson ranked #1 nationally for community service and won the 2018 National Championship for Community Service through the HelperHelper NCAA Team Works Competition.  Towson also won the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award from Susan G. Komen of Maryland.