Max Sacco

Women's Lacrosse Heads to the Quaker State for Date with Gannon

3/14/2025 10:00:00 AM

By: CONTACT: Max Sacco, Assistant Athletics Communications Director | msacco@daemen.edu

QUAKER STATE LAX
The Daemen women's lacrosse team will conclude their three game road swing with a trip to Erie, Pa., to face Gannon. Opening draw is set for 1 p.m. on March 15.

DOING IT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
Freshman Marianna Szamoskozi (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) took care of Daemen on both sides of the ball against Findlay (March 8). After scoring a goal for the Wildcats, Szamoskozi was called upon to step into goal as an emergency back-up keeper late in the second quarter. Szamoskozi made two saves, with one save coming on a free-position shot, on two shots faced in the final 5:47 to help the 'Cats to the road win.

TOP 'CATS
Sophomore attacker Shannen Calandra (Rome, N.Y.) ranks second in the ECC for both assists per game (2.00) and total assists (10). The Rome, N.Y., native ranks 24th in the nation for her assists per game and 39th in the country for her total assists. In net, freshman Molly Evans (Fulton, N.Y.) ransk second in the ECC for goals against average at 11.83 through five games.

WIN NO. 1
Head women's lacrosse coach Emily Bitka picked up her first collegiate win as Daemen defeated Lake Erie, 15-2, back on Feb. 28 at home. Senior midfielder Camryn Day (Hamburg, N.Y.) paced the Daemen offense with four goals and two assists for six total points. Also helping the Daemen attack was sophomore attacker Shannen Calandra (Rome, N.Y.) who matched Day's six points with a season-high four assists and two goals. Senior midfielder Katelynn Deveans (Buffalo, N.Y.) tallied two goals for three total points along with a team-high two ground balls. Additionally, junior midfielder Ella Bouley (Auburn, N.Y.) and freshman attacker Adison Pollutro (West Seneca, N.Y.) added two points each with a goal and an assist. Daemen never trailed the entire contest and did not allow a single first half goal to the Storm as well. Overall, Daemen outshot Lake Erie, 33-13, and held a 12-7 edge in draw controls.

BACK IN THE BLUE AND WHITE
The 'Cats return 16 players to their roster from last season including two of their top three scorers from 2024 with Castner and junior Ella Bouley (Auburn, N.Y.). Bouley led the 'Cats offense in both goals (32), total points (45) and draw controls (48) while Castner ranked second on the squad in points with 32. Also back this season for the Blue and White is sophomore Shannen Calandra (Rome, N.Y.) who ranked ninth in the ECC last season for assist per game at .88. On the defensive side of the ball, junior Jenna Havert is back after she led Daemen in ground balls with 33. For Bouley, she currently has 81 career points (61 gls, 20 ast) and is two away from passing Dana Bacher who owns the record with 82 points (69 gls, 13 asts).

A LOOK AT THE POLLS
Daemen University was tabbed fifth in the 2025 East Coast Conference Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll following a vote of the leagues seven coaches. Roberts Wesleyan, the defending ECC Tournament and regular season champions, topped the poll with 49 points and secured all seven first-place votes. Mercy landed in second place with 42 points and Molloy rounded out the top three with 34 points of their own. D'Youville was tabbed fourth with 29 points with Daemen close behind in fifth with 21 points. St. Thomas Aquinas (14 points) and District of Columbia (7 points) rounded out the remainder of the poll. The ECC Women's Lacrosse Championship semifinal is slated for May 1 and the final set for three days later on May 4 with the top four teams qualifying for the postseason.

SCOUTING GANON (1-3, 0-0 PSAC)
The Golden Knights are 1-3 on the year and lost their last game to Belmont Abbey, 17-8, on March 8. Caroline Stevens leads Gannon in goals (15) and total points (18). In net, Riley Finnegan earned the lone win of the year for the Golden Knights and has made a team-best 30 saves.

SERIES HISTORY
Daemen and Gannon are tied 1-1 all-time.

UP NEXT
Daemen returns home to face nationally ranked Saint Anselm on March 20. Opening draw is set for 6 p.m.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen women's program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenWLAX.

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