BROOKVILLE, N.Y.- The Long Island University women's lacrosse team kicks off the 2020 season on Saturday, February 8 when the Sharks head to Piscataway, N.J. to take on Rutgers.
 
LIU at Rutgers
Saturday, February 8 | 12:00 p.m.
Shi Stadium | Piscataway, N.J.
Watch | Live Stats
 
From the Coach
"We are all so excited to put on the uniform and have the opportunity to get out on the field and play lacrosse," said head coach Meghan McNamara. "After months of training and hard work both on and off the field, we are very excited to kick off the inaugural season wearing the Blue and Gold. Opening up 2020 against Rutgers, a Big Ten opponent, is just a great opportunity and great place for us to start. The energy among the 40 young women on the team is exhilarating, and we are ready to get out on the field and play."
 
Notes on the Sharks
McNamara returns for her 13^th season overall at LIU, and first season guiding the Division I Sharks. Associate head coach Allison Nuzzi Hanley joins McNamara's staff for her first season with the Sharks and eighth overall season at LIU. Assistant coach Kelly Gaffney returns for her second season under McNamara, while Caitlin Fitzpatrick joins the coaching staff as the volunteer assistant coach for her first season with LIU.
 
In the first season competing as the Sharks, LIU has been picked to finish fifth in the Northeast Conference. The Sharks have a combined 31 returning players and nine newcomers, including seven freshmen. Returning for the Sharks this season are two IWLCA Division II All Americans, seniors Brianna Feldman and Alyssa Mallery. Two familiar faces in the NEC, Amanda Masullo and Rachel Masullo return for their junior season. The Sharks have an experienced defensive unit returning for the 2020 season led by seniors Kendall Purdy and Maddie Titus, and junior Alyssa Boll. Sophomore Hailey Duchnowski returns in goal after coming off a sensational freshman campaign.
 
At attack, Feldman finished her junior season with 79 goals and 12 assists for 67 points. She was an IWLCA All-East Region First Team and East Coast Conference First Team honoree a season ago. Rachel Masullo will also be a key component to the attack. Masullo, a NEC Second Team honoree, scored a career-high 42 goals and 15 assists to finish with 58 points last season. Freshman Francesca Vasile-Cozzo will add strength in the attack. An All Division award winner, Vasile-Cozzo is a two-time NYS Class D State Champion and has won the LI Championships three years in a row.
 
In the midfield, two-time All-American Second Team honoree, Mallery is looking to pick up right where she left off last season, as she scored 83 goals, scoring at least one goal in every game. She also had seven assists for 90 points, picked up 52 ground balls and had 118 draw controls. The senior midfielder closed out her junior season earning IWLCA All-East Region First Team and ECC All-Conference First Team honors, and was ranked seventh in Division II in goals. After earning All-NEC First Team honors last season, Amanda Masullo, who scored a career-high 52 goals and 21 assists to finish with 73 points, will be a key returner in the midfield. She led the NEC in points, and was tied for third in goals in 2019. Along with Mallery and Masullo, Paige Sherlock will be another leader in the midfield. Sherlock, twice named to the IWLCA All-East Region Second Team and ECC All-Conference First team, is coming off a season where she had a career-best 30 caused turnovers, picked up 36 ground balls and scored 49 goals for the second consecutive season.  
 
Anchoring the veteran defensive unit will be Purdy, Titus and Boll. Purdy closed out last season with 15 ground balls and a career-high eight caused turnovers. Titus, named to the ECC All-Conference Second Team last season, closed out her junior year with 20 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Boll returns after setting new career-highs with 47 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers a season ago. Freshman defender Kelly Johnston will add depth to the returning defensive unit. Johnston is an All County honorable mention and played on the Yellow Jackets Club team.  
 
Hailey Duchnowski returns in goal for the Sharks, and looks to build off a stellar freshman season. The ECC Goalkeeper of the Year and ECC All-Conference First Team honoree, Duchnowski closed out last season leading the ECC and ranked 12^th in Division II with 186 saves. She had a 50.1% save percentage, 14 wins and a 9.57 goals-against average.
 
Scouting the Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights also open up their 2020 season on Saturday, and look to rebuild under first year head coach Melissa Lehman. The Scarlet Knights return their top four scorers from last season. Taralyn Naslonski, who scored 39 goals and had 21 assists, Samantha Budd, who net 36 goals and added 13 assists, Marin Hartshorn who scored 23 goals and 10 assists, and Dakota Pastore who closed out the season with 18 goals and eight assists. Budd, Naslonski, and freshman Cassidy Spilis were all named Big Ten Players to Watch this upcoming season. Samantha Scarpello will be a key returner on the defensive end. She led the team with 29 ground balls last season and eight caused turnovers.   
 
Up Next
The Sharks will open up the 2020 home slate on Wednesday, February 12 when they welcome Manhattan to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium. Game time against the Jaspers is set for 2:00 p.m.