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SALT LAKE CITY – The 16th-ranked Westminster College women's lacrosse team returns to action on Saturday when they welcome Utah State to Dumke Field for the 2014 home opener. The 11 a.m. contest will be the first action for the Griffins since Feb. 16.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Saturday's game will be streamed live on Griffins TV and have live stats available. Links for both of these features are available by
clicking here. Updates will also be available via Twitter by following @wc_griffins.
GRIFFIN NOTES
Westminster gets back to action after splitting four games at the Santa Barbara Shootout last month. After dropping a 22-12 decision to Pittsburgh in the season opener, the Griffins claimed back-to-back wins over Western Washington (19-8) and Texas A&M (20-5). They closed the trip with a 14-10 loss against Santa Clara.
OFFENSE NOTEBOOK
>Westminster scored 61 goals during the four games in Santa Barbara.
>That computes to an average of 15.25 goals per game.
>The Griffins scored in double figures in all four of the games with a season-high 20 against Texas A&M.
>The team also recorded 15 assists during the weekend for an average of 3.75 assists per game.
>That translates to an assist on 24.6 percent of the total goals scored.
>
Dana Barraco led the Griffins during the trip with 21 goals.
>She scored at least four goals in every game.
>Barraco tallied seven goals in the win over Western Washington. That is tied for fourth-most in a single game in school history.
>Barraco also led the team with nine assists in Santa Barbara.
>She recorded four assists against WWU and three versus Santa Clara.
>She set a school record with seven assists during a win over Alabama last season.
>Barraco enters Saturday with a team-leading 30 points.
>
Maggie HerrNeckar notched 17 goals during the opening weekend.
>She tallied five goals in the opener with Pittsburgh and also had six goals against Texas A&M.
>HerrNeckar picked up two assists in the win over Western Washington.
>She would finish the weekend with 19 points.
> HerrNeckar is the top returning goal scorer from 2013 when she finished the season with 56 goals. That placed second on the team.
>
Kira Heiden contributed 10 goals during the opening four games.
>After not scoring in the opener, Heiden had back-to-back four-goal games versus WWU and Texas A&M.
>She would also score two goals in the loss to Santa Clara.
>Heiden is currently third on the team with 10 points.
GOALIE NOTEBOOK
>
Makenzie Hekking returns for her junior season after playing every minute in cage for the Griffins over the past two seasons.
>Hekking made 45 saves in Santa Barbara while giving up 49 goals.
>That computes to a .479 save percentage.
>She made 14 stops in the opener with Pittsburgh and also tallied 11 saves against Western Washington and 12 versus Santa Clara.
>Hekking carries a 12.25 goals-against-average heading into Saturday's game.
>Last season, Hekking recorded a 44.2 save percentage and made 136 saves.
>Hekking is the Westminster all-time leader in saves with 340 and saves per game at 7.73.
>Her 31 career victories are also a school record.
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
>Utah State comes to Dumke on Saturday at 2-1 on the season.
>The Aggies defeated Northern Colorado, 18-1, and Boise State, 9-8, to start the season.
>They lost to Air Force, 9-3, in their last game on Feb. 22.
>Westminster is 1-0 all-time against Utah State and 1-0 at Dumke Field.
>The team last met in 2012 when the Griffins won 19-4.
LOOKING AHEAD
Next week Westminster travels to Orem, Utah for a contest at Utah Valley on March 15. The action will begin at 1 p.m. from the Wolverines home field.
