ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Following a horrendous winter storm that blanketed the Northeast with snow this past week, the Elmira College women's lacrosse team resumes its 2017 schedule on Saturday, March 18, with a non-conference game against Buffalo State. The contest is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. at D'Youville College's Dobson Field, located in Buffalo, New York.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Elmira suffered an 18-9 setback on the road to Lycoming College nearly 10 days ago in EC's 2017 season-opener. It was a close affair early in the first half, as the Soaring Eagles trailed by just two goals, 5-3, with 17:34 remaining on the clock. However, a 12-0 run that bridged the first and second halves put the Warriors way out in front, 17-3. EC finished the game strong, scoring six of the final seven goals of the contest, but the late rally proved to be too little too late, resulting in a nine-goal win for Lycoming. Kelsey Quail '17 had a strong showing in her first game since the 2015 season with a team-high four points on two goals and two assists. She also collected a team-high four ground balls, as well as three draw controls.
 
INSPIRING ROOKIE DEBUT: Rachael Goetz '20 had a standout performance in her rookie debut against the Warriors, as the Lake View, New York, native scored a team-high three goals. Of her three tallies, one was scored via a free-position shot. Goetz's hat-trick performance was the first by a freshman in their debut game since the 2006 season, when Sarah Young '09 scored thrice against Morrisville State in the 2006 season opener
 
SCOUTING THE BENGALS: Buffalo State owns a 1-1 overall record heading into Saturday's contest. The Bengals opened the year with a heartbreaking one-goal loss, 13-12, to Union College on a last-minute goal, but bounced back with a 20-goal drubbing of D'Youville five days later. Buffalo State is looking to build off of last season's 5-12 mark in hopes of replicating its 2012 season, one that saw the Bengals reach the SUNYAC title game and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament Second Round. Alanna Herne and Christina Krowel lead the team in scoring with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Herne, a two-time All-SUNYAC honoree, has done most of her damage with her playmaking ability, as the junior boasts a team-leading 10 assists. Krowel, on the other hand, owns a team-high nine goals, five of which came in Buffalo State's throttling of D'Youville. Elyse Stark has started both games in net for the Bengals and enters the tilt with Elmira with a 4.94 goals-against average and a .417 save percentage.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: Elmira and Buffalo State have faced each other five times since their first meeting in 2004. The Soaring Eagles are still searching for their first win in the all-time series, as the Bengals boast an unblemished 5-0 record. The last time these two teams met dates back to the 2014 season, when Buffalo State scored four unanswered goals in the final eight minutes of regulation to down Elmira by an 11-7 final score.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Soaring Eagles return to action on Thursday, March 23, with a non-conference bout against the Hawks of SUNY New Paltz. The opening draw is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on the artificial turf field, located on the campus of Corning Community College.