Game 6  ·  American (2-3, 0-0 PL) vs. Gardner-Webb (2-2, 0-0 Big South)
Saturday, March 5  ·  3 p.m.  ·  Washington, D.C. (Jacobs Complex)
Broadcast: Christian Taylor (pxp)

WASHINGTON - After a three-game road stretch, the American University lacrosse team is back at Jacobs Complex on Saturday with a 3 p.m. start against Gardner-Webb. This will be the last home non-conference game of the season for the Eagles, who will next return home on March 26 for the second game of the Patriot League season against Holy Cross.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

• Individuals are required to wear masks to all American University athletics events, indoor and outdoor, per current AU guidelines.  
• We also encourage social distancing at all of our venues.
• In order to protect and ensure the longevity of the Jacobs Complex turf for many great seasons to come, we ask your cooperation in refraining from bringing food, coffee or drink of any kind--aside from bottled water, onto the turf at all times. 
• Thank you for your cooperation and understanding, and for your support of AU lacrosse.

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be only the second meeting between the Eagles and Runnin' Bulldogs.
• The two teams first met in Washington, D.C., on March 9, 2018. American secured the home victory in that meeting, 12-10, including a hat trick from then-freshman Emma Vinall.
• Current fifth-year seniors Vinall, Kendall Goldblum, Sarah Boney, and Cate Golden all played in that series debut.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• American returns home after a three-game stretch on the road, picking up its first two wins of the season at George Mason, 15-14, and Howard, 16-3, before falling to a fourth-quarter run at George Washington on Wednesday, 11-9.
• For the second consecutive game, freshman Maddy Spratt paced the Eagles with four points off two goals and two assists against the Colonials.
• Emma Vinall also added a pair of goals along with an assist at GW while Kendall Goldblum picked up her fourth hat trick of the season with three goals.
• Goldblum scored her 100th career goal during Saturday's win at Howard.
• Vinall broke her third program record earlier this season with her 189th career draw control. She's up to 210 now to go along with her records in career points (206) and goals (179). The Fairfax, Va., native continues to work among the top players in the country, coming in at fifth for career goals per game (3.6), seventh for total career goals (179), and 12th for career points per game (4.1) in the latest rankings. 
• Vinall is fourth in the current Patriot League rankings with 3.2 goals per game after opening with 13 in the first three games of the season. She is also third with 7.0 draw controls per game.
• Spratt has been having an exciting freshman season so far and currently ranks second in the league with her 1.8 assists per game.
• Sophomore Helena Morrison has been leading the Eagles from goal, earning two starts in five games and playing 182 minutes so far. She has 18 saves on the season, including eight during the win over George Mason.

SCOUTING THE RUNNIN' BULLDOGS

• Gardner-Webb opened its season with a 22-3 loss to #8 Duke on February 11 before picking up back-to-back wins over Howard, 18-6, and Akron, 17-7.
• The Bulldogs are coming off their second loss to the season against Cincinnati, 15-9. This will be their first roadtrip since the season opener.
• Three players scored two goals each against Cincinnati - Eilish Gately, Ciarra Ashworth, and Bria Foley.
• Three more added a goal each including Talen Francis and Jada Preston who also added an assist each.
• Lauren Deaver pitched in a team-high two assists while Maddie Martin led on the defensive end with eight ground balls, four caused turnovers, and nine draw controls.
• Danielle Burke has started all four games in goal for the Bulldogs. She had seven saves against Cincinnati to bring her total up to 24 so far this season.
• Preston leads the offensive effort with 14 points off eight goals and six assists, followed by a dozen points from Francis with nine goals and three assists.

For the latest on American University Lacrosse, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Lacrosse) and Instagram (@au_wlax).