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The Butler women's lacrosse team will open the 2021 season and home schedule against the Robert Morris Colonials (4-0, 1-0 MAC) on Sunday, March 7. First draw is set for 2 p.m. at Varsity Field.
 
Bulldog Bits:

• The Bulldogs went 5-2 in a shortened 2020 season, compiling the most wins in a season in program history.
• Butler ranked No. 8 nationally across NCAA Division I in scoring defense, allowing just 8.29 goals per game.
• Offensively, the Bulldogs outscored their opponents 97-58 last season.
• The Bulldogs set six single-game team records and two single-game individual records in 2020.
• Last year, Elizabeth Davide set a new single-game record for most draw controls (10) against Detroit Mercy, while Gabryelle Bodine tied a single-game record for most goals (5) at Robert Morris.
• Butler returns nine starters from the 2020 roster, including Bodine, who tabbed 18 goals and 22 total points for the Bulldogs last spring.
• The Bulldogs return three players who earned BIG EAST Weekly Awards last season in goalie Amanda Rumsey and attackers Kaley Attaway and Campbell Connors.

 
Butler in 2020
Butler went 5-2 in 2020, before the season was canceled on March 13th due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was the best start for the Bulldogs in the four-year history of the program.
 
Butler set six single-game team records in just seven games. Returning attacker Gabryelle Bodine, led the team in goals (18) and points (22) in her shortened sophomore campaign. Offensively, the Bulldogs outscored their opponents 97-58, while the back line posted a 8.29 scoring defense average, which ranked No. 8 across all NCAA Division I teams.
 
The Robert Morris Colonials:
Robert Morris is currently 5-2 in the 2021 season. Their most recent win was their first in the MAC division against Kent State. Twins Mackenzie and Melanie Gandy both hold team-leading stats, Mackenzie with 15 goals and Melanie with 15  assists. Head Coach Katrina Silva is currently in her eighth season with the Colonials and second as head coach.
 
The Colonials will face No. 4 Notre Dame on Saturday, March 6 in South Bend, Ind. before heading to Indianapolis on Sunday.
 
Butler vs. "Bobby Mo"                                  
The 2020 match up was the first meeting between the two programs in Butler's four-year history. A year ago, the Colonials came away with a 15-8 win in Pennsylvania. Bulldog attacker Gabryelle Bodine recorded five goals in the loss, tying a single-game record for most goals in a game in Butler history.
 
Bulldogs Season Opener
Sunday's contest will serve as both the season and home opener for the Bulldogs, entering the fifth year of the women's lacrosse program.  Last season, Butler won their first season opener in program history, downing Hanover 22-0, which also set a new single-game scoring record for the Bulldogs.
 
The New BIG EAST                                         
Starting Friday, March 19, women's lacrosse will play a Friday – Sunday schedule in which the teams will play their opponents twice in one weekend. The schedule spans seven weekends with two makeup weekends built in. The championship will be hosted by Georgetown, May 6 and May 8.
 
Connecticut rejoined the BIG EAST in the summer of 2020 and replaced  affiliate member Old Dominion, now a member of the C-USA conference, in the lacrosse relm. The Huskies will be Butler's first home BIG EAST match-up.
 
Next up for the Dawgs
The Bulldogs will return to Varsity Field to face Presbyterian on Sunday, March 14 at 11 a.m., which was originally scheduled to be the home opener on Feb. 21, but was postponed due to weather. Butler will then start BIG EAST play with on the road games at Denver on March 19 and 21.
 
For updates, follow the Butler women's lacrosse team on Twitter @ButlerWLacrosse.