Women Open RMAC Play at UCCS on Saturday
The Westminster women's lacrosse team returns to action on Saturday when they play at University of Colorado Colorado Springs at Mountain Lion Stadium. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for each team is slated for a noon opening draw.
 
About the Griffins
Westminster returns to action with a 2-1 overall record after sweeping two games in Minnesota the last weekend of February. The Griffins are 1-1 in road games this season and went 2-5 in RMAC games last year.
 
The Griffins will enter Saturday's game averaging 16.33 goals per game to rank second in the RMAC. They reach the 20-goal mark in each of the previous two outings and have done so six times since the team started playing NCAA opponents during the 2015 season. The Griffins are third in the conference by taking 30.67 shots per game and they have a .533 shot percentage.
 
Kira Heiden leads the Griffins with 14 goals and 17 points. She is second in the RMAC by scoring 4.67 goals per game and ranks second at 5.67 points per contest. Katie Adams has 11 goals and sits fourth in the RMAC at 3.67 goals per game. Morgan Bakarich leads the team with nine assists while her 3.00 assists per game rank second in the league.
 
Westminster claims a RMAC-best 17.0 draw controls per game and they are tied for first in picking up 25.33 ground balls per outing. Heiden is fourth in the conference with 4.67 DCs per game and Taylor Hekking is third in the RMAC with her 3.67 GBs per game.
 
The Griffins have a team goals-against-average of 14.00 while allowing 35.67 shots per game. Westminster goalies have recorded 39 saves and rank second in the RMAC with a .481 save percentage. The team has a successful clearing percentage at 71.9 percent while leading the RMAC with 15.67 caused turnovers per game.
 
Taylor Hekking has started all three games in cage for the Griffins with a 2-1 record and 15.77 GAA. She is fourth in the RMAC by making 7.0 saves per game with a .477 save percentage. Mikala Anderson has also played in all three games with a 13.86 GAA and 17 saves for a .486 save percentage.
 
Stellar Weekend
Last time out the Griffins put together a dominating weekend in Minnesota. They outscored their two opponents 41-24 with three players going for at least nine goals in the two wins. Kira Heiden led the team with 13 goals and 15 points on the trip to earn RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Katie Adams was tabbed as the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week after posting six caused turnovers, eight draw controls, and seven ground balls.
 
Adams Streaking
With goals in each of the first three games this season, Katie Adams has now tallied a goal in 25 consecutive games played. That is the third-longest streak in team history and is seven shy of tying the record of 32 held by Chelsea Farrell. Adams is second on the team this season with 11 goals and third with 12 points. She has gone 3 of 5 on free-position attempts and is tied for the team lead with seven caused turnovers. Adams enters Saturday just five points shy of becoming the seventh Griffin all-time to reach 100 career points.
 
Heiden Climbing
Kira Heiden exploded for 13 goals in Minnesota and now leads the team with 14 goals. She has also tallied three assists for a team-best 17 points. Heiden has scored a goal in 11 straight games dating back to last season and she is second in the RMAC by scoring 4.67 goals per game. She is fifth in the conference by taking 6.33 shots per game while placing fourth with 4.67 DCs per contest. Heiden's 114 career goals are fourth most in team history and she is sixth with 146 career points.
 
Bakarich Creating
Morgan Bakarich is having a great start to the season sharing the ball. She currently leads the Griffins with nine assists and ranks second in the RMAC at 3.00 assists per game. Bakarich has also scored four goals to sit second on the team with 13 points with her 4.33 points per game placing fourth in the RMAC. Bakarich has moved into fifth among the school's career assist leaders with 34 career helpers.
 
Hekking Stopping
Taylor Hekking has started all three games for the Griffins with 15 consecutive starts since joining the program last season. In 88 minutes this season, Hekking has made 21 saves for a .477 save percentage a 15.77 GAA. She has made at least six stop in every games this season with a season-high eight in the win over Concordia-St. Paul on February 24. Hekking is fourth in school history with 91 saves, just nine shy of becoming the third Griffin to 100 career saves.
 
Opponent Info: UCCS
• UCCS has started its inaugural season at 2-0 and is the second first-year program the Griffins have faced this season.
• The Mountain Lions have home wins over Adams State and Midland.
• Vanessa Nelson leads the team with 12 goals and 13 points.
• Saturday will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
 
Looking Ahead
The Griffins will play at home for the first time this season with two RMAC games at Dumke Field next week. They welcome RMAC associate member Oklahoma Baptist to town on March 14 before facing defending RMAC champion and No. 2-ranked Lindenwood on March 18.