FAIRFIELD, CT - For just the second time in program history, and the first time since 2005, the Siena Women's Lacrosse team will be featured in the MAAC Championship game. The third-seeded Saints will take on host and No. 1 seed Fairfield at 12 p.m. on Saturday at Fairfield's Rafferty Stadium.
 
J.J. Duke and Allison Gaskins have the call of the game on ESPN+. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the field, and are priced at $10 for adults, and $5 for seniors, students, and children. On-site social media updates will be provided throughout the day from the @SienaWLax twitter account. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn, #SienaSaints, and #MAACLAX.
 
The winner of Saturday's championship will advance to the NCAA Tournament, with seed and location of the game to be announced at 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 5 on the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Selection Show. The show will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
 
Siena in the MAAC Championships (Seventh Appearance)
Record: 3-6
Championships: 0
Away: 0-0
Championship: 0-1
As No. 3 seed: 2-1
Vs. Fairfield: 0-2
 
Siena is making its seventh MAAC Tournament appearance, and first since 2015. The Saints have won back-to-back games in the MAAC Championships for the first time in program history. They are are coming off a MAAC Semifinal win over #2 Monmouth Thursday night 16-15, as well as a win over sixth-seeded Canisius 16-12 in the quarterfinals at Hickey Field last Saturday.
 
Siena has posted an 2-1 record as the three-seed in the tournament all-time, with both wins coming so far in 2019. With both of the wins, Siena has now set a new program record for wins in a season with 12. The Saints tied a program-record in number of goals for a single postseason game on Thursday night, matching the mark they set last Saturday in their win over #6 Canisius with 16.

Last Time Out - MAAC Semifinal vs. #2 Monmouth
Sophomore Nicole McNeely had a standout performance for the Saints, as she tallied a team-high seven points on three goals and four assists. McNeely also stepped up in the draw, snagging four draw controls. Freshman Mary Soures also snagged a hat trick, scoring three goals and adding an assist for four points. Junior captain Annie Brennan also scored a trio of goals, while Julia Pelcher, Hayley Kmack, and Kerry Gerety each scored a pair of goals as well. Senior Sammy Horton made eight saves in net for the Green and Gold in the win.
 
The Series With Fairfield (26th Meeting: Fairfield leads, 23-2)
Siena trails in the all-time series with the Stags by a 23-2 margin. The Green and Gold's last win over the Stags came in 2013 in an 8-5 win in Loudonville. Siena's only other win came in 2005, which was their previous best season in program history. They defeated the Stags 14-12 in the Capital Region on that occasion. Siena fell in their last meeting back on April 13, with the Saints falling just short in a 12-11 loss on Senior Day. The Stags have defeated the Saints both times they have met in the MAAC Championships, which came in 2010 and 2012.
 
Earlier this season on April 13, a game which was a fight for first place in the MAAC at the time, Horton made 15 saves to eclipse 600 for her career. However, the Stags would get a go-ahead goal with 2:16 to play to top the Saints 12-11.
 
Siena was led by Horton's defensive performance in net. Offensively, the Saints saw hat tricks from junior Annie Brennan and redshirt freshman Kaitlyn Dowsett. Freshman Mary Soures also ended up with three points, putting up a goal and assist. Kerry Gerety would score twice, while Julia Pelcher and Alexandra Rekos also scored a goal apiece.
 
Scouting Siena (12-6, 6-2)
Siena finished the regular season tied for second in the MAAC after being projected seventh in the preseason coaches' poll. The Saints have outplayed expectations, and have put up the best year in program history. Because of that, the Saints had seven players earn All-MAAC honors Wednesday night, including senior Sammy Horton earning the first-ever MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year award in the program's history.
 
Siena began their regular season slow, falling in their first three games to Columbia, Army West Point, and Villanova. The Saints would get on the board and get the ball rolling with their first win of the season over Colgate on Feb. 28. Since that date, the Saints have been able to go 12-3 over that span, which now includes four separate three-game win streaks. The Green and Gold set a new program record with goals in a game with 22 on Mar. 13 in a win over Hartford. In that same game, the Saints tied a program record in win margin, collecting a difference of 17 goals in the 22-5 win. 
 
Siena's strength has been both in the back with veteran goalkeeping, as well as young scorers up front. Senior goalie and newly crowned MAAC Goalkeeper of the Year Sammy Horton has proven to be one of the best goalies in the NCAA in 2019, ranking amongst the leaders in the country in saves, save percentage, and saves per game – all of which rank first in the MAAC. Sophomores and All-MAAC selections Kerry Gerety and Nicole McNeely are the top-two points getters on the team, while redshirt freshman and MAAC All-Rookie selection Kaitlyn Dowsett makes the power punch trio that has accounted for a majority of the Saints' offense this season. All three rank in the top-10 in all offensive categories in the MAAC.
 
Gerety has put herself into the record books this season, along with Horton. Gerety has set a new single-season record in assists, currently sitting at 28. Gerety also set the new record for draw controls in a single season against Canisius Saturday, eclipsing the previous record of 89, and currently sits at 97 for the season. She will have the chance to have the program's first ever 100 draw control season Saturday afternoon. Horton has also made some marks in the record book as well, and has set some career records for the Green and Gold. She is now the all-time leader in games played in program history, while also setting the new single-season record in wins with 12. She currently sits seven saves away from her career-high in a season at 177, which she set last season with 184.
 
Siena posted a 4-3 record at home this season, but have put up a stellar 8-3 mark away from Hickey Field this season which includes Thursday's semifinal.
 
The Saints are under the direction of head coach Abigail Rehfuss, who is in her second season at the helm of the Green and Gold. She has led one of the biggest turnarounds in the country this season, as the Saints have improved by seven wins. Finishing 5-12 last season, Siena now sits at 12-6. That mark (+7) is good enough for the second best turnaround in the country in 2018-19. Only Michigan (+8) has posted a greater season-to-season turnaround to-date. 
 
Scouting Fairfield (14-3, 8-0)
Projected to finish first according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Stags have lived up to their ranking by finishing the season as the first place team in the MAAC, going a perfect 8-0 in MAAC play. The Stags, who earned a first round bye, defeated #5 Marist Thursday night by a final score of 18-14. The Stags will be looking to defend their MAAC title, as they were the champions in 2018.