POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 17, 2015) – The Vassar College women's lacrosse team will host Bard College on Saturday April 18 at 4 pm on Weinberg Field. The Brewers will also celebrate "Friends of Jaclyn Day" in the team's annual game in conjunction with the foundation.
 
Friends of Jaclyn
Please join the Vassar women's lacrosse team in celebration of Friends of Jaclyn Day this Saturday. Friends of Jaclyn is an organization founded by the Murphy family from Hopewell Junction, NY, that connects pediatric brain tumor patients with college and high school athletic teams. The Brewers are honored to be paired with Miss Grace Leva, an 11 year old, and fourth grader attending Scotchtown Avenue School in Goshen, NY. 
 
A word from coach Judy Finerghty:
Grace is as an inspiration to our team and we are amazed by her strength. We are also thrilled to know that she is recovering so beautifully from her treatments, and we're looking forward to Saturday!"
 
For more information on the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, please visit http://www.friendsofjaclyn.org/
 
Game Details
Opponent: Bard College (2-9)
Links: (Bard Lacrosse Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility: Weinberg Turf Field
Date: April 18, 2015
Time: 4:00 pm
Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)   
 
Last Time Out
Vassar is currently 3-3 in Liberty League games, falling to University of Rochester, Skidmore and Union, but beating William Smith, RPI, and RIT. The Brewers picked up a 12-8 win against New Paltz on Tuesday, bringing them to a 6-5 record overall.
 
A Look at the Raptors (2-9, 0-6 in Liberty League)
The Raptors are coming off a win against SUNYIT, following a four game losing streak against a quartet of Liberty League opponents. Bard's win against SUNYIT was hard fought, with senior midfielder Joanna Regan scoring the winning point with just 19 seconds left in the game. Regan had six of Bard's ten goals in that contest, and freshman goalie Kaylynn Tran had 8 saves.
 
The Raptors, led by Regan and junior midfielder Alexandra Clarke, have a total of 61 goals, 102 draw controls, 99 caused turnovers, and 227 ground balls. Regan and Clarke combined have contributed 34 of those goals and 67 draw controls. Goalie Kaylynn Tran has racked up 79 saves in the goal far this year.
 
Record Breaker
Senior Jackie Palma (Manhasset, NY/Manhasset) broke the school record for all-time caused turnovers last weekend, now totaling 89 in her career in the burgundy and gray. The shutdown defender passed Emilie Moeckel's ('05) record of 86 with her third caused turnover against RIT on April 10, and is now in a league of her own in Vassar history. Palma is currently 16th in the country and first in the Liberty League in caused turnovers per game (2.64).
 
Note: Two of Palma's CTOs from the 2013 season were not originally added to her career total, bringing her to 88 instead of 86 all-time.
 
Season-Best
Jackie Palma is also currently on pace to break the program record for caused turnovers in a season, coming into Saturday's matchup with 29 on the year. She is currently seven CTOs away from Kaitlin Harvie's ('05) school record of 36 set back in 2004.
 
Against Bard All-Time
Vassar has never lost to Bard, defeating the Raptors in all four of their previous contests. The Brewers' last win came on April 5, 2014 with a 14-2 Vassar victory in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY.
 
Rookie of the Week
Freshman Storm Sideleau (Hopkinton, MH/Kimball Union Academy) tallied her first career Women's Lacrosse Rookie of the Week honor, as she had a huge week for the Brewers helping the team to a 1-1 record in Liberty League play. She also picked up ECAC honors as Mid-Atlantic Rookie of the Week on Tuesday. Sideleau came up clutch for VC against RIT, scoring a goal with one second left in regulation to power VC to a 9-8 win. Sideleau also finished with an assist in the win. She went on to post a game-high four goals against Rochester the following day as Vassar fell 10-6.
 
Dual Sport Stand Out
Sideleau also picked up Rookie of the Week accolades back in September as a member of the Vassar field hockey team. The League honors in two different sports for Sideleau marked the first time a Brewer accomplished the feat since Zander Mrlik for men's soccer (Defensive Performer) and baseball (Pitcher) back in 2012-13.
 
Pulling Ahead
The Brewers are currently beating their opponents this season in goal count, with Vassar totaling 111 to their opponents' 107. Vassar is also sharing the ball better compared to its opposition, tallying 52 assists to its opponents' 36.
 
Wrecking Havoc
Vassar remains ranked first in the Liberty League in caused turnovers per game (11.73) and ground balls per game (21.36). The Brewers also maintain a solid No. 4 spot in points per game (14.82), and sitting third in assists per game (4.73), helped by junior Isabelle Goldstein, ranked second in the league in assists (2.44) and third in points (4.11). Senior defenders Jackie Palma and Evie Toland contribute to the Brewers' caused turnover and ground ball records, with Palma sitting at No.1 in caused turnovers (2.64) and No. 2 in ground balls (3.27) per game, and Toland ranked ninth in CTOs with an average of 1.36 per game.
 
Liberty League Standings
Vassar currently sits in the No. 5 spot in the Liberty League with a 3-3 conference record, while Bard is in last place with a 0-6 conference record.  This puts the Brewers are in a very good position to move up in the standings and finish the season in at least the No. 4 spot, with two conference games remaining after this one. Vassar will finish off its conference season with games against ninth place St. Lawrence and seventh place Clarkson. Having already defeated the current fourth place and sixth place teams, the Brewers are through the toughest part of their conference schedule, and are now in prime position to move up the standings.
 
Up Next
Vassar will face the Mount Saint Mary Knights on Tuesday April 21 for a non-conference game. Mount Saint Mary currently sits at 7-5 overall and 5-0 in the Skyline Conference.