Game Notes: Women's Lax Senior Day vs. Albany (April 23, 12 pm)

UNH Women's Lacrosse: GAME 15
Albany (9-4, 4-0 America East) at UNH (6-8, 3-1 America East)
Saturday, April 23 • Cowell Stadium • 12 p.m. • Senior Day
Video • Stats

THE MATCHUP
UNH has an 11-9 record against the University at Albany dating back to 2001. These two programs have met annually the past 15 years since Albany joined the America East conference in the 2001 season (along with Binghamton).

The Wildcats welcomed Albany into America East on April 1, 2001 and won 10 consecutive meetings through April 16, 2008. The 'Cats have lost 9 of 10 against the Great Danes, however, including each of the last eight matchups dating back to April 24, 2010.

The last meeting between the two teams took place March 28, 2015 in Albany and the Great Danes came out on top, 16-5. New Hampshire's most recent victory over Albany was April 30, 2009 in an America East neutral-site semifinal by a score of 17-9. The 'Cats last home win against the Great Danes was April 2008 (17-7); UA has won three straight in Durham since then.

This season, UNH and Albany are competing for a top spot in the America East conference. The Wildcats currently stand in third place, one game behind frontrunners Albany and Stony Brook.

SENIOR DAY
Three seniors comprise the UNH women's lacrosse Class of 2016.

Hannah Wohltmann scored a goal in her collegiate debut back on February 23^rd, 2013. She even had a three-game goal streak as she played in 16 of 17 games as a freshman. Unfortunately, her career since then has been beset by injuries. Her academic accolades include America East Academic Honor Roll and America East Commissioner's Honor Roll. Despite her injuries, Hannah remained committed to this team. Her role on this team off the field has been significant.

Nicole Grote has been a four-year starter for the Wildcats and has been one of the team's top offensive playmakers every year. This year as a senior, Nicole ranks second in both assists and points, and she is also third in goals as she has tallied single-season highs in all three stats with 18 goals, 18 assists and 36 points. She recorded her 100^th career point earlier this season and her 2016 highlights also include a personal-best eight-point effort against Holy Cross in which she matched her highs of four goals and four assists. In 63 career games, Nicole has 64 goals and 41 assists for 105 points. Her collegiate accolades include America East All-Rookie Team and America East Academic Honor Roll.

Laura McHoul is one of the top point producers in the history of UNH women's lacrosse and will leave the program as the all-time assist leader. Laura, who has led the team in both assists and points all four years, enters today's game with 78 goals and 130 assists for 208 points, which is No. 4 on the point leaderboard. As a sophomore in 2014, Laura tallied a school single-season record of 39 assists and personal-best 60 points. She has a 21-game point streak dating back to last year with totals of 14 goals and 28 assists for 42 points this season. Laura's single-game superlatives include a two-goal, seven assist performance as a freshman and a seven-assist effort – in one half – this season. This former America East co-Rookie of the Year is a two-time selection to the America East All-Conference Second Team; her other accolades include All-Rookie Team and Academic Honor Roll.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
UNH enters Saturday's game against Albany with a 6-8 overall record that includes 3-1 in America East and 4-2 at home (2-0 in conference home games).

Coming off a hard-fought 11-4 loss at No. 8 Stony Brook University last Saturday, UNH has lost its last two on the heels of a season-best three-game win streak. A win Saturday for the Wildcats would result in a reversal in the standings, as they would move up to second in the America East conference while Albany would be third.

UNH has limited the opponent to single-digit goals six times and has won all six; conversely, the 'Cats are 0-8 when surrendering 10+ goals. UNH is 4-3 when scoring in double digits this season.

The Wildcats are averaging 9.71 goals and 20.4 shots per game. The opposition has averaged 10.5 goals and 22.3 shots per game.

The 'Cats have a slightly better shooting percentage than their opponents – 47.6% to 47.1% – and also have a better shots on goal percentage – 85.0% to 80.4%.

UNH has recorded the shot advantage in 4 of 14 games, the edge in ground balls 5 of 14 games and more draw controls in 8 of 14 games. The Wildcats have committed more turnovers in 9 of 14 games.

The overall totals of those stats are relatively even, however. The 'Cats have a slight edge in ground balls (183-179), whereas the opponent has a minimal advantage in both draw controls (156-151) and turnovers (193-197).

'CAT NIPS
Senior attacker Laura McHoul has tallied a point in 21 consecutive games dating back to the 2015 season with 26 goals and 45 assists for 71 points in that span. McHoul leads this year's team in assists (28) and points (42). She has tallied multiple points 10 times in 14 games and that includes a seven-assist performance against UMass Lowell (March 26).

Sophomore attacker Krissy Schafer extended her point – and goal – streak to 12 games with one goal at Stony Brook. She has a goal in 13 of 14 games overall this season with seven multiple-point efforts, including six games with multiple goals. Schafer ranks second on the squad in goals (22) and is fourth in points (24), as well as tied fifth in draw controls.

Senior attacker Nicole Grote recorded her seventh multiple-goal game of the season with two tallies at Stony Brook last Saturday. She ranks second on the team in both assists (18) and points (36), and is third in goals (18); all three numbers are personal single-season highs.

Sophomore midfielder Carly Wooters was held out of the scoring column for the first time this season when she did not score a goal at Stony Brook. Wooters, who has six multiple-goal games, is UNH's leader in goals with 23 and she ranks third in points (26).

NOTABLE NUMBERS FROM STONY BROOK (April 16 at LaValle Stadium)
New Hampshire and No. 8 Stony Brook were deadlocked at 2 with nine minutes left in the first half and UNH trailed just 5-3 with 20 minutes remaining in regulation, but SBU went on a 6-0 spurt the next 14 minutes to pull away.

UNH limited Stony Brook's high-scoring offense, which entered the game ranked sixth in the country in scoring (14.33 goals per game), to four goals on nine shots in the first half.

Through 30 minutes, the stats were relatively even. SBU held the slight edge in goals (4-2), shots (9-7) and ground balls (7-5). UNH had a 4-3 advantage in draw controls and turnovers were even at 6.

The disparity wasn't that much larger in the second half, where the Seawolves generated an 11-7 shot advantage and committed fewer turnovers (3-6). UNH, however, recorded the edge in both ground balls (4-3) and draw controls (6-4).

The four goals matched UNH's lowest output of the season, and the 14 shots marked the Wildcats' second lowest total of the year.

DOUBLING UP
Senior co-captains Nicole Grote (18g, 18a) and Laura McHoul (14g, 28a) are the two Wildcats who have reached double digits in both goals and assists. McHoul has set up eight of Grote's 18 goals, while Grote has assisted on two of McHoul's goals.

NO. 9 CLIMBS TO NO. 4
Laura McHoul climbed into fourth place on the program's career leaderboard Wednesday, April 13 with a goal at Boston University. She entered the game tied with Jessie Groszkowski at 204.

McHoul enters Saturday's game with 78 goals and 130 assists for 208 points in 63 career games; those calculate to averages of 1.24 gpg, 2.06 apg and 3.30 ppg.

No. 3 on the all-time points list is Jess Burnap at 213. The top two are Karen Geromini (235) and Katie Leland (270).

ASSISTING HER WAY TO THE TOP
Laura McHoul entered the 2016 season already as UNH's record holder for career assists with 102; she supplanted Karen Geromini, who tallied 101 assists, as the record holder last season. McHoul has increased that record total to 130 with 28 this season.

McHoul holds four of the program's Top 8 single-season assist marks. She broke New Hampshire's single-season assist record with 39 in the 2014 season. She also holds No. 3 with 33 in 2013, No. 5 with 30 in 2015.

McHoul forged a four-way tie [with Shaunna Kaplan (2010), Mandy Kernan (1993) and Karen Geromini (1987)] at No. 8 with 28 this season season. Katie Leland currently is No. 7 (29 in 2006) and McHoul is tied at No. 5 with Leland (30 in 2004).

LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
Kate Clancy has returned to reprise her role as starting goalkeeper. Through 14 games, the sophomore has stopped 103 of 246 shots on goal for a 10.85 GAA and .419 save percentage.

Clancy made a career-high 13 saves March 5 vs. Fairfield. She had previously matched her career high of 12 saves in consecutive games at UMass (Feb. 20) and at Dartmouth (Feb. 23).

GET THAT BALL
Hope Kissick leads UNH in both ground balls (28) and caused turnovers (16), and she ranks second in draw controls (23). Kissick matched her career high of five ground balls and tallied a season-high three caused turnovers vs. UMass Lowell (March 26). She has been credited with at least one ground ball 13 of 14 games with eight multi-GB efforts. Kissick has a draw control in 12 of 14 games with five multi-DC games. She has caused a turnovers in 11 games with multiple CTOs four times.

CENTURY MILESTONES
Laura McHoul and Nicole Grote both attained a century milestone in the April 9 home game against Vermont. McHoul became the sixth player in program history to record 200 career points with the second of her six points, and Grote reached the 100-point milestone with the second of her four points.

McHoul entered that game with 198 career points and tallied an assist on each of UNH's first two goals to get to 200 five minutes into the game.

Grote entered that game vs. UVM with 98 career points and scored goals at 25:13 and 14:38 of the first half to reach 100 career points.

SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
The University of Albany enters Saturday's contest against New Hampshire with an overall record of 9-4 that includes 4-0 in America East and 5-2 on the road (2-0 in conference road games).

The Great Danes are on a two game win streak with their most recent win coming April 18 at Dartmouth, 9-7, despite being outshot 21-19. Junior midfielder Sarah Martin netted four goals and sophomore attack Alie Jimerson tied for team high in points with four (2g, 2a).

Albany has three players with 40+ points and another on the cusp of that mark. Leading the way for the Great Danes is junior attack Dakotah Savitcheff with 43 goals and three assists for 46 points. Alie Jimerson (17g, 27a) and Sarah Martin (21g, 19a) are next on the list, followed closely by Rachel Bowles (29g, 8a).

Senior goalkeeper Courtney Henderson leads the charge in net. She has started all 13 games on the season and played 749:53 of a possible 780:00. Her goals against average is 6.88 while her save percentage is .482.

As a team, Albany is second in America East in both goals per game (12.00) and assists per game (6.31), as well as goals-against-average (6.58). They lead the conference in fewest turnovers (11.31/game) and are second in caused turnovers (8.54/game).

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