Akron Entertains Canisius in Battle of Unbeatens

Saturday, February 21

Akron, Ohio

7:30 PM

University of Akron

Canisius

Akron Entertains Canisius in Battle of Unbeatens

February 20 | Women's Lacrosse

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron lacrosse team welcomes Canisius to the Stile Athletics Field House for a 7:30 p.m. match on Saturday (Feb. 21).

PARKING UPDATE: Akron lacrosse fans are encouraged to park in Lot 6, 9 and 10 (Surrounding the Field House off Vine and Union Streets) for this weekend's lacrosse match. Parking in other lots without appropriate UA permit is subject to ticketing by parking services. Please enter through the main doors to field house off South Union Street.

ZIPS NAME TEAM CAPTAINS FOR 2026:
The Akron senior duo of Katie Baumer (Rochester, N.Y.) and Sarah Baumer (Rochester, N.Y.) will serve as the Zips' captains for the 2026 campaign.

SCOUTING AKRON:
Junior Sienna Hinchcliffe (Rochester, N.Y.) leads the Zips in goals (13), points (18), shots (25), shots on goal (19), ground balls (10), caused turnovers (5) and draw controls (7), while ranking second in assists (5). Katie Baumer is second on the team in goals (10). Junior Kaitlyn Sikorski (Plymouth, Minn.) paces the squad in assists (8). Seniors Heather Carey (Williamsville, N.Y.) and junior Kellen Fletcher (Valencia, Pa.) rank third on the squad in goals netting four apiece. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Adrianna Califano (Bellmore, N.Y.) has registered 19 saves and owns a 8.33 goals against average.

SCOUTING CANISIUS:
Akron is meeting Canisius for the first time in program history. The Golden Griffins are 3-0 on the campaign following a 19-12 triumph past Eastern Michigan on Wednesday (Feb.18). Freshman Ella Forcucci leads the squad in goals (13), points (16), shots (22) and shots on goal (15). Redshirt senior goalkeeper Isabel Gautreaux has collected 16 saves and four ground balls on the campaign en route to posting a 8.17 goals against average. Canisius is led by 15th-year head coach Scott Teeter, who owns an 145-120 ledger as a head coach for the Golden Griffins and is 194-205 in 24 seasons overall as a head coach.

AKRON PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN MAC PRESEASON POLL:
The Mid-American Conference announced the 2026 Preseason Coaches' Poll on Wednesday (Feb. 4) as Akron was selected by the league's women's lacrosse coaches to finish second this season.

Conference newcomer Massachusetts (48 points, 6 first-place votes) was tabbed to capture the regular and postseason championships followed by Akron (37 points), Eastern Michigan (37), Robert Morris (34, 1 first-place vote), Central Michigan (28), Kent State (19), Youngstown State (12) and Detroit Mercy (9).

AKRON GARNERS WIN AT BUTLER:
Led by a five-goal performance from junior Sienna Hinchcliffe (Rochester, N.Y.) the University of Akron lacrosse team moved to 3-0 for the first time in program history on the strength of an 12-10 triumph past Butler on Wednesday (Feb. 18).

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Akron garnered a game-high five goals and two assists from Hinchcliffe.
• Adding one goal apiece was Kaitlyn Sikorski, sophomore Julia Mattingly (Leonardtown, Md.) and freshmen Savannah Hinchcliffe (Rochester, N.Y.), Ava Sellet (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Faith Sellet (Cincinnati, Ohio).
• Registering their first career goals in the contest were Ava Sellet and Faith Sellet.
• Adrianna Califano was stellar in net for Akron with a career- and game-high eight saves.
• Fletcher, Sienna Hinchcliffe and Sikorski dished out a game-high two assists each for the Zips.
• Sikorski posted a game-high five ground balls, while Katie Baumer, Mattingly and Sienna Hinchcliffe each corralled a team-best two draw controls.
• Sophomore Kayla Murphy (Annapolis, Md.) led Akron with a game-high five caused turnovers.
• Recording nine shots, including seven on goal, was Hinchcliffe.

ZIPS CAPTURE MAC TOURNAMENT TITLE:
A golden goal from Jaelyn Clinkscales with 14 seconds remaining in overtime propelled the Akron lacrosse team to its first ever Mid-American Conference Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth with a come-from-behind 11-10 victory over Robert Morris in the league's title match on May 3, 2025, in Moon Township, Pa.

Picked to finish last in the MAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Zips overcame a five-goal second-half deficit to force and overtime and set the stage for Clinkscales' game-winning goal in overtime.

AKRON EARNS FIRST EVER MAC REGULAR SEASON TITLE:
With its 14-12 come-from-behind victory over Robert Morris on April 27, 2025, the Zips earned a share of their first-ever Mid-American Conference regular season title.

FOUR ZIPS AND HEAD COACH ELAINE JONES GARNER ALL-MAC ACCOLADES:
Akron garnered a program-record four All-Mid-American Conference selections when the league unveiled its 2025 award winners in a vote of the league coaches.

Akron head coach Elaine Jones was recognized as the league's Coach of the Year as she led the Zips to their first ever MAC Regular Season title after the squad was picked to finish last in the preseason coaches' poll.

Noelle Boyd and Sienna Hinchcliffe headlined the Zips' award winners as the duo was selected as First-Team All-MAC honorees.

Pulling in Second-Team All-MAC laurels was Katie Baumer. Additionally, Julia Mattingly was tabbed to the MAC All-Freshman team.

AKRON NOTES:
• Sienna Hinchcliffe is atop the career list at Akron in goals, points, shots and shots on goal per game and woman-up goals, while rating second in assists per contest and third in total points, goals, assists, shots, shots on goal and draw controls per tilt.
• Katie Baumer is two caused turnovers (58) away from supplanting Jenna Ridener atop Akron's career list. Additionally, she is rated third at Akron caused turnovers, draw controls per contest and draw controls, fourth in caused turnovers per match and fifth in career assists and points.
• Sienna Hinchcliffe supplanted Alexis Kiefer as the single season record holder for goals in program history with a career-best six-goal effort against Robert Morris (April 27). She finished the campaign with 59 goals last season.
• Sienna Hinchcliffe set the single-season record for points (73), shots (142) and shots on goal (106), while Noelle Boyd owns the top single-season mark for assists (26) and Hannah Sanders for saves (144) and wins (11).
• Noelle Boyd surpassed Alexis Kiefer atop the career list for shots versus Robert Morris (April 27) having amassed 331 shots, while moving atop the list for shots on goal with 254 shots on goal against Eastern Michigan (April 20). Additionally, she started a program record 69 games.

IN THE LATEST MAC RANKINGS:
• Akron leads the Mid-American Conference in goals against average (8.33) and ground balls (21.33), while rating second in assists (6.67), goals (13.33), points per game (20.00) and third in shots per contest (27.33), shots on goal (20.33) and save percentage (.432).
• Sienna Hinchcliffe is second in the conference in goals per game (4.67) and points per outing (6.33), third in ground balls (3.33) and shots (8.33), fifth in assists (1.67) and seventh in caused turnovers (1.67).
• Katie Baumer is eighth in goals per game (3.00), while Kellen Fletcher is eighth in assists (1.33) and Heather Carey is seventh in caused turnovers (1.67).
• Adrianna Califano is first in goals against average (8.54), fourth in save percentage (.432) and sixth in saves (4.32).
• Additionally, Kaitlyn Sikorski is second in assists per match (2.67), fourth in ground balls (3.00) and 10th in points per game (3.67).
• A year ago, in league-only action, Noelle Boyd finished first in points per match (4.67), third in goals per game (3.00) and assists per tilt (1.67) and seventh in ground balls (3.17) and shots per contest (6.17). Hinchcliffe was second in shots per contest (8.67) and goals per game (3.33) and sixth in draw controls (4.83) and in points per match (4.00). Baumer was third in caused turnovers (1.83), fourth in draw controls (5.83) and ninth in points per match (3.00), while Hannah Sanders was sixth in goals against average (11.17) and in saves per game (8.17) and eighth in save percentage (.422).

UP NEXT:
Akron hosts Radford at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 25) at the Stile Athletics Field House.