BEARCAT WOMEN'S LACROSSE WEEKLY RELEASE - Feb. 29

THE GAME
UMBC (1-2) at Binghamton (1-1)
Bearcats Sports Complex
Friday, February 29, 2008 at 4 p.m. Live Stats



BU RALLIES TO TOP COLGATE IN HOME OPENER
After dropping its season opener at William and Mary, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team made the first win of head coach Tony Zostant’s Bearcat career a memorable one.

With the score tied 11-11, senior Leanne Musso (Auburn, N.Y.) finished a run across the goal-mouth with 2:04 left in regulation to complete a spirited BU comeback and send the Bearcats past visiting Colgate, 12-11, in Friday’s home opener from the snowy Bearcats Sports Complex.

“I am really proud of these girls,” first-year head coach Tony Zostant said. “They never quit when we fell behind. They played hard and came out and performed well amid the adverse conditions.”

The Bearcats overcame deficits of 8-4 and 11-9 in recording their first win of the 2008 campaign.

Photos from the Colgate game (Feb. 22)

CASTIGLIE NAMED AMERICA EAST ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman attacker Ali Castiglie (Middle Island, N.Y.) has been named America East Women's Lacrosse Rookie of the Week, as announced by the conference Monday.

Castiglie led all players with a three-goal, one-assist effort in Binghamton's come-from-behind 12-11 victory against Colgate in Friday's home opener.

Each of her three goals came in the decisive second half as the Bearcats erased a four-goal deficit.

In the squad's season opener against William and Mary, Castiglie also impressed notching a goal and two assists. She leads the team with seven points through two games.

ON THE RETRIEVERS
The Retrievers look to return to the America East Tournament after missing the postseason last season (7-10, 2-4 AE) for the first time since joining the league in 2004. The Retrievers return eight starters and 19 players overall from that team, including first-team all-conference defender Maggie Chizmar, second-team attack Ali Levendusky and all-rookie midfielder Kelly Burgoyne. Levendusky leads the black and gold with 10 goals and 11 total points.

UMBC won its first game of the ‘08 campaign on Tuesday, topping cross-town rival Loyola 11-10. The Retrievers dropped their first to contests at home to Hofstra and No. 12 Vanderbilt, by identical 16-7 margins.

BINGHAMTON - UMBC SERIES
The Bearcats and Retrievers are playing in their fifth career meeting. UMBC won last year’s meeting 18-3 in Baltimore and leads the all-time series 4-0.

UP NEXT
Binghamton hosts MAAC opponent Iona on Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. Binghamton has won two of three all-time meetings with the Gaels. Iona won a 18-12 decision last season in New Rochelle, N.Y.

PREGAME NOTEBOOK
- Defensively, the Bearcats received strong goalie play in the second half of its win over Colgate from freshman Lauren Scott. Scott served as one of the main catalysts in the BU comeback, recording six saves and playing a big role in the Bearcats’ transition game. The five-foot-two netminder held the Raiders to just three second-half scores in picking up the first win of her collegiate career (1-1).

- Binghamton is now 3-4 all-time record in home openers. The Bearcats last won their home opener against St. Francis (Pa.) during the 2006 campaign...Musso’s goal was the second game-winner of her career... Junior tri-captain Kelsey Pieper led all players with seven ground balls and one caused turnover.

- The Bearcats had eight different goal scorers, including five freshmen, accounting for their 12 goals against Colgate.

- The Bearcats return seven starters and 12 letterwinners from last year’s squad. BU also welcomes 11 freshmen and a total of 12 newcomers to the mix for 2008.

BEARCATS DROP SEASON OPENER AT WILLIAM AND MARY
The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team dropped a 21-9 decision to host William and Mary Sunday afternoon in the season opener for both teams.

Freshman attacker Lisa Illig (Corning, N.Y.) led the Bearcats with three goals in her collegiate debut. Illig led a new-look Bearcat squad that featured a total of seven freshmen and eight newcomers in the starting lineup. T

he remaining first-year contingent was led by Ali Castiglie (Middle Island, N.Y.), who had a goal and two assists. The rookie trio of Kate Concialdi (Yorktown, N.Y.), Erica Hill (Delmar, N.Y.), and Kate Tesi (Yorktown, N.Y.) each netted their first collegiate goals for the Bearcats.