RPI girls lacrosse hosts Liberty League quarterfinal as fourth seed
TROY, N.Y. » The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s lacrosse team will be the fourth seed in the upcoming 2022 Liberty League Tournament and will open postseason play by hosting fifth seed Union College in the quarterfinals, tomorrow night at Renwyck Field. Opening draw is scheduled for 6pm.
The Engineers, who are led by 19th-year head coach Leslie DeLano enter tournament play with an 11-4 record, going 7-3 in the Liberty League. RPI has scored 197 goals this season (13.1 per game) and allowed 154 (10.3 per game). The team has outdrawn the opposition, 250 to 144, while owning a narrow 246-238 edge in ground balls. The Engineers rank 27th nationally in draw wins per contest (16.7).
Individually, RPI is paced offensively by junior Megan Shay, who has a school record 53 goals and seven assists for 60 points. Senior Sabrina Torcellini is second with 27 goals and 12 assists for 39 points, while junior Rylie Maready rounds out the top three with 23 goals and 13 assists for 36 points. Maready’s 7.27 draw controls per game rank 23rd in the country.
In goal, junior Olivia Kimball is 8-2 with a 9.40 goals against average and a .492 save percentage, while sophomore Jenny Canfield is 2-2 with a 12.18 goals against average and a .438 save percentage. Freshman Juliana Lucas has seen time in parts of seven games, posting an 8.30 goals against average and a .424 save percentage.
Section II representation on the team consists of Roya Lewis (Shaker) and Lily Murphy (Scotia-Glenville).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Engineers did not compete in the 2021 season and were limited to three games in 2020. RPI qualified for postseason play in 2018 and 2019, making the semifinals in 2018 and falling in the semis in their most recent playoff trip, with both defeats coming on the road.
Third seed Ithaca College will host sixth seed Clarkson University in the other quarterfinal matchup, while top seed William Smith College and second seed St. Lawrence University have earned a bye into Friday’s semifinals.