Complete Release

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (Feb. 4, 2015) - On Wednesday afternoon, the LIU Post women's lacrosse team earned four first-place votes and tied Dowling atop the 2015 East Coast Conference Preseason Poll.

Last season, the Pioneers, who advanced to the East Coast Conference Championship and NCAA Division II National Semifinals, rolled off 17 consecutive victories in an 18-2 finish. They also boasted an unblemished 7-0 mark in ECC play.

LIU Post will look to three players to spark an offense that lost four of its top scorers to graduation in 2014. Senior midfielder Jenna Pierro (Holbrook, N.Y.) started in all 20 games last year, tallying 31 goals and allocating nine assists for 40 points. She also scooped up 36 draws (second-most on team) and 30 ground balls, while causing 10 turnovers.

Sophomore attacker Stefani Vagelatos (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) had a breakout rookie campaign. She was the team's third-leading scorer with 60 points (44 G, 16 A). A team-best nine of her goals proved to be game-winners. Red-shirt sophomore attacker Emily Delaney (Long Valley, N.J.) started in one game last year and netted a goal, but her season was cut short due to injury.

Defensively, the Pioneers welcome back All-ECC selections Kali Maxwell (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Emily Hanifan (Hicksville, N.Y.). In 15 contests, Maxwell amassed 42 draws, 25 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers. Her 42 draw controls ranked ninth-best in the conference. Hanifan totaled 24 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers in 12 games. Their efforts spearheaded the green and gold in holding opponents to the fewest goals against in the league.

LIU Post and Dowling (five first-place votes) each collected 76 points in the balloting. Molloy placed third, amassing 55 points, with St. Thomas Aquinas (52 points) narrowly behind in fourth. Mercy (47 points) rounded out the Top-5 in the ledger.

Head Coach Meghan McNamara and the Pioneers open the 2015 season on Saturday, Feb. 28, when they host Holy Family in a non-conference tilt at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium at 1 p.m.