ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's lacrosse team will welcome the Saxons of Alfred University to Campus Field for an Empire 8 Conference matchup on Saturday, April 15. The opening draw is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: Elmira had a two-game win streak snapped by the Hawks of Hartwick College in a 10-5 Empire 8 Conference loss on April 8. The Soaring Eagles were on par with the host Hawks in just about every statistical category, but simply could not find the back of the net. This was evident on EC's eight free position attempts, as the Soaring Eagles managed to convert only two into goals. Elmira also played with an extra attacker for two minutes early in the second half, when Hartwick's Emma Knapp was tagged with a yellow card. However, down 7-3, the Purple and Gold registered only one shot while Knapp was sidelined, a free position attempt from Rachael Goetz '20 that was saved by Hawks goalie Carleigh Tarala. Five different Soaring Eagles scored a goal, while both Hayley Baker '19 and Kylie Connell '17 posted two points on one goal and one assist. Kelcey Crawford '18 scored her first goal of the 2017 campaign in the loss and was dominate on the draw, having collected a game- and season-high eight draw controls.

HIGH OCTANE: EC scored double-digit goals in each of its two wins, including a season-high 16 goals in a midweek victory over Wells College on April 5. In that bout, two Soaring Eagles posted career highs in both goals and points. Kyra McDonald '18 led the scoring effort against the Express with a career-high six goals, this after a breakout four-goal performance in the win over New England College on April 2. Hayley Baker chipped in a game-high seven points - more than she accumulated in the previous four games combined - with five goals and two assists. Her career-high point total has moved Baker into first place on the team with 23.

SCOUTING ALFRED: After coming out on the losing end of three straight E8 contests, the Saxons exploded for a season-high 24 goals in a 24-14 defeat of D'Youville College on April 12, and enter today's game with a 3-7 overall record. In its four previous Empire 8 matchups, the Saxons have been simply overwhelmed, scoring no more than three goals while surrendering over 20 in all four league bouts. However, the 24 goals netted in the midweek win over the Spartans are the most for Alfred in a single game in over five years. Two-sport student-athlete Miranda Gilbert was one of two Saxons to score a season-high eight goals against D'Youville. The junior midfielder, who also plays soccer at Alfred, has recorded team highs in goals (28) and points (30), and has four outings with five-plus goals this season. Her 2.80 goals per game rank eighth on the Empire 8 leaderboard, and following her 13 draw controls on Wednesday, she sits sixth in the league with a per-game average of 3.10. After finishing sixth in all of Division III with 190 saves in 2016, junior goalie Shannon Gray leads the conference with 110 saves and a per-game average of 11.00.

SERIES HISTORY: After losing the first three meetings against the Saxons from 2000-02, the Soaring Eagles have claimed 12 consecutive victories and lead the all-time series 12-3. In those three defeats, EC was unable to score more than eight goals, but has tallied double digits in each of the dozen wins. Last season, EC bested the Saxons, 13-7, in Alfred, New York.

UP NEXT: The Elmira women hit the road for an Empire 8 contest against Stevens Institute of Technology at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15.