Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs to host Hatters, Pioneers in opening weekend
2/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
By Jason Kelm
jakelm@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State women's lacrosse team opens its season with Greek Night on Friday at 4 p.m. PT against Stetson and a Valentine's Day game at noon on Sunday against Denver at the Fresno State Soccer and Lacrosse Field.
The Red Wave can enjoy T-shirt tosses and Greek Games on Friday and a special Valentine's Day game on Sunday with a photo booth with Valentine's Day props, a candy heart giveaway, love song games and T-shirt tosses.
Game 1: Stetson at Fresno State
Feb. 12, 2016 - 4 p.m. PT - Fresno, Calif. (Fresno State Soccer and Lacrosse Field)
TV: Mountain West Network
Series History: First meeting
Game 2: Denver at Fresno State
Feb. 14, 2016 - Noon PT - Fresno, Calif. (Fresno State Soccer and Lacrosse Field)
Series History: Denver leads 7-0 (overall); Denver leads 4-0 (games played in Fresno)
Last Meeting: Denver 13, Fresno State 6 (4/26/15 - Denver, Colo.)
Bulldog Bites
- Fresno State has won two of its last three season openers.
- Fresno State is looking to win its second-straight home opener.
- Fresno State is looking to win its first game against an Atlantic Sun Conference opponent on Friday.
- Fresno State is looking to win its first conference opener on Sunday.
- Fresno State was picked to finish ninth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation preseason coaches' poll released in early February.
- In 2015, Fresno State finished tied for eighth place in the conference standings.
- Fresno State is coming off its highest overall and conference win totals in program history.
About the Hatters
Stetson makes its visit to Fresno without second-year head coach Christy Leach, as she awaits the birth of her first child. Assistant coach Maggie Smith will guide the Hatters as they come off a 4-13 campaign in 2015, matching the total number of victories from the previous two seasons combined.
Senior goalkeeper Whitney Meyers was a second-team all-Atlantic Sun selection last year after leading the A-Sun in saves and is a preseason all-conference pick this year. Junior Erin Busch is Stetson's only returning full-time defender and sophomore Hallie Merz was a second-team all-conference pick and a member of the A-Sun's all-freshmen team.
About the Pioneers
Denver was projected to finish third in the MPSF preseason coaches' poll after finishing in third place in 2015 with a 7-2 MPSF record and 13-5 overall. The Pioneers will open their season on Friday when they host in-state MPSF rival Colorado.
Denver seeks to unite veterans and newcomers on offense after the loss of three of its four top point-scorers due to graduation. Senior Rachael McKinnon tallied the most points of the returning Pioneers.
'Dogs defense displayed in exhibition
The 'Dogs held Pomona-Pitzer to just four shots in each half and two goals total and allowed the Sagehens to clear on just five of 12 attempts. Pomona-Pitzer also committed more turnovers (18-11) than Fresno State.
Experience key to Fresno State success
The Bulldogs return 10 starters and 17 letterwinners from last season's squad, including four of their top five goal-scorers, which set team records in several categories in 2015 including points, goals, and assists.
Leadership sought from trio of captains
Senior Sophia Aragon and juniors Caroline Dineen-Carlson and Chyna Hill will be the team captains for the 2016 season.
Aragon, a Seal Beach, Calif., native who has started 43 of 45 games as a defender during her Bulldog career, is second on the Fresno State all-time ground balls list with 69, four shy of tying Holly Cisneros (2012-15) for first.
Dineen-Carlson, a Coronado, Calif., native who has started all 30 games as a midfielder during her Bulldog career, led the team with 30 goals last season, a program record.
Hill, a redshirt junior from Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., has started all 30 games as a midfielder during her Bulldog career, but will be sidelined during the 2016 season due to an injury.
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