When: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Where: UMBC Stadium | Baltimore, Md.
Time: Wednesday- 4 p.m.
Team Records: Towson (1-3) at UMBC (4-2)
Stream: ESPN+
Series: Towson Leads 39-7
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's lacrosse team continues its 2024 season with a quick trip to Catonsville to take on the UMBC Retrievers on Wednesday afternoon. The Tigers fell to the #16 USC Trojans last Friday night 11-5 with five Tigers finding the back of the net.    
           
The Black & Gold are coming off an 11-7 season, finishing in second place in the CAA with a 5-2 record. Towson defeated Drexel in the CAA semifinals and reached the CAA Championship where the Tigers fell to Stony Brook.
 
The Tigers return All-CAA First Team midfielder Milana Zizakovic. Towson brings back last season's goal and draw control leader in Lindsey Marshall. The Tigers also bring back senior defender Blair Goodrich, who led the team in caused turnovers with 31 last season. Senior goalkeeper Jo Torres returns for second season in the crease for the Black & Gold after earning All-CAA Second Team honors.
 
Oh Captain! My Captain!
Shannon Sullivan, Milana Zizakovic, Lindsey Marshall and Blair Goodrich were selected as team captains for the 2024 season.
 
Climbing the Ranks    
Senior midfielder Lindsey Marshall is climbing up the record book in draw controls. The Catonsville, Maryland currently ranks fourth all-time in draw controls with 183. Marshall sits behind former teammate Blair Pearre for third place, trailing by 33. The midfielder led the Tigers in draw controls last season with 72 and finished 102 draw controls in her freshman season, the second highest total in a season by a Tiger.
 
Instant Impact 
Senior goalkeeper Jo Torres made an instant impact last season after joining the Tigers. Torres was named to All-CAA Second Team after ranking second in the CAA in total saves with 151. She finished four games with double-digit saves, including a season-high 13 saves against Johns Hopkins and Delaware. The senior goalkeeper ranked second in the conference in save percentage (43.2%) and third in goals against average (11.19). In her Towson debut, Torres made 12 save and totaled a 75% save percentage against the Mountaineers, which earned her CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors. Four goals are the fewest amount of goals allowed by Towson in a season opener since 2016. This season, Torres has finished with double-digit saves in all fourr games this season.
 
Welcome to Towson!
Kristen Carr was named the Women's Lacrosse Head Coach in July 2023. The two-time gold medalist has made assistant coaching stops at North Carolina, Delaware, Stanford, Ohio State and Johns Hopkins. Carr was an IWLCA All-American defensive midfielder at North Carolina, where she made four NCAA Tournament appearances She added Kelyn Freedman, Rebecca Lane and Shelby Harrison to her coaching staff.
 
O Canada
Milana Zizakovic returns for her junior season after being named to the All-CAA First Team last season. The Calgary, Alberta native led the Black & Gold in points with a career-high 56. Zizakovic finished third on the team in goals and assists with 41 goals and 15 assists. The midfielder ranked second on the Tigers last season in draw controls with a career-best 57 draw controls. Zizakovic registered a point in 17 of the 18 games last season while adding 22 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.
 
Preseason Accolades
The Tigers were voted to finish in third place in the Coaches poll, earning 51 points, including one first-place vote. The Black & Gold were picked behind defending champion Stony Brook and Drexel. Senior attacker Lindsey Marshall, senior defender Blair Goodrich and junior midfielder Milana Zizakovic all claimed preseason honors.
 
Fresh Faces   
Kristen Carr welcomes a class of nine freshmen to Towson for the upcoming 2024 season. She brought in Casey Meredith (midfield), Hailey Waldron (midfield), Katie Roszko (midfield), Kylie Ritter (defense), Sydney Casserly (attack), Bella Wojcik (midfield), Alexis Aaron (defense), Louise Aloi (attack) and Alyssa Edwards (goalkeeper). 
 
Back at Unitas
The Tigers return to Johnny Unitas® Stadium for the first time since 2020. Unitas plays host to two games this year for the Black & Gold with the first game being the season opener against the Mount, which the Tigers won 14-10. The second game will be against Hofstra on March 30th.
 
International Duty
Sophomore midfielder Ocea Leavy was called up to the U20 Australian team for the 2024 World Lacrosse U20 Women's World Cup. Leavy is the only returning member of the 2019 Australian U19 team which claimed bronze at the 2019 World Lacrosse U20 World Championship held in Peterborough, Canada. She earned CAA All-Rookie honors last season after scoring six goals, 11 ground balls, and two caused turnovers.
 
Midfielder Milana Zizakovic was selected to the final roster for the Canadian Women's National Box Lacrosse Team last week. Zizakovic was selected along with 47 athletes that range from national team players to current college players.
 
Staying Home
The 2024 squad has 20 student-athletes that call Maryland home. Savannah Safchuck (Towson), Casey Meredith (Hampstead), Valerie Thompson (Sykesville), Paiton and Paige Abbott (Mount Airy), Mia Rehkemper (Catonsville), Katie Roszko (Bel Air), Lindsay Clarke (Parkton), Blair Goodrich (Chester), Kylie Ritter (Ellicott City), Sydney Casserly (Baltimore), Lindsay Posner (Monkton), Hannah Glawe (Frederick), Meghan Hoskins (Towson), Bella Wojcik (Perry Hall), Lindsey Marshall (Columbia), Halley Koras (Lutherville), Louise Aloi (Towson), Jo Torres (Prince Frederick) and Alyssa Edwards (Perry Hall) all represent their home state.
 
Scouting UMBC
The Retrievers have started the 2024 season with a 4-2 record. Kolby Wheedon leads UMBC in points 24 while Grace Bruce leads the team in goals with 21 in six games. The Retrievers opened the season with a 20-2 win over Delaware State, then fell 9-6 to Delaware. UMBC defeated George Washington 12-4. but was defeated 14-11 by American. The Retrievers were victorious over Mount St. Mary's 15-11 and most recently defeated La Salle 14-7.
 
Looking Ahead 
The Tigers will make the short trip down the road to face the #7/8 Loyola Greyhounds on Saturday, March 9th at noon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.