DATE: Feb. 5, 2016

2015 Stats at a Glance PC RC Record 14-2 15-2 Conf. Record 6-0 6-1 Goals Scored per Game 16.06 16.71 Goals Against per Game 6.69 7.35 Shots Percentage .543 .520 Shots per Game 29.6 32.1 Clear Percentage .806 .797

TIME: 4 pm ET
LOCATION: Memphis, TN
FACILITY: Mason Field
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BROADCAST: Watch Here
TWITTER: @PiedmontLions
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Demorest, GA - Over the last three years, Piedmont College has become a brand in the South when it comes to women's lacrosse.  With the program entering its fourth year of existence this spring having won 40 of its first 49 contests in history, there is still work to do for a decorated senior class.

The Lady Lions have won back-to-back regular season titles in USA South action having gone undefeated in the league in each of the last two seasons, but Piedmont has twice fallen to the Avenging Angels of Meredith College in the league's championship game coming up just shy of their ultimate goal - a spot in the NCAA National Tournament. 

However, Head Coach Emily Jacquette, who has led her team to an incredible .816 winning percentage in her three years at the helm, feels that her team is prepared for the road that lay ahead including a challenging 2016 schedule.

"Our girls are ready. They're ready to see what they're made of, and we believe in their talent and capabilities. And we believe we are going to get off to a good start."

Jacquette's words will need to ring true with her team as the Lady Lions head west for their season opener Friday to face a Rhodes College team that was 15-2 last season and defeated Meredith last season in the 1st round of the NCAA National Tournament. 

Rhodes is one of two Southern Athletic Association foes that made last year's NCAA field and appear on the 2016 Piedmont schedule with the Lady Lions opening their home slate against Sewanee, a team that PC matched up with last season in a battle of undefeateds that went to the Tigers.

"We feel like we are a more mature team than we were four years ago," said Jacquette when discussing the strength of the '16 lineup including the showdown with Sewanee. "We have a lot of depth, maturity, and we feel more confident now that we want to challenge ourselves playing tougher games.  Sewanee is a great example of that, they always have great athletes and have been very successful in the SAA conference as has Rhodes, they won last year's tournament title.  We know these games are going to make use better."

The excitement of her team's development is no surprise though considering what Coach Jacquette returns to the turf as the team returns its top four scorers from last season including attack mainstays MCKYNSEY DOUGLAS and ALEXIS NARDUCCI who combined for 97 goals last season.  The two are part of a veteran team at Walker Athletic Complex this season with 12 seniors and juniors on the roster that have been through dominating years of competition.

"I always call these veterans the survivors because they've made it through their four years committed to our program, and they've been crucial to the success we have had not only on the field but in the classroom," said Jacquette. "But they've also been key to our program's reputation both in the area and nationally.  I could not be more proud of the work they have done, we would not be where we are now without them.  But we haven't finished what we started, so that's our mission this year."

That unfinished business for the women's lacrosse program starts with the season opener against perhaps one of the toughest opponents on the schedule in 2016 with Rhodes College hosting Piedmont February 5.  The USA South opener for PC will be on the road at Methodist University on March 12 with the opening draw set for 12:00 pm in Fayetteville.  

STORYLINES
--Piedmont's pursuit of a USA South tourney title and NCAA appearance in 2016
--Veteran presence throughout the team with a dozen juniors and seniors on the roster
--Last season's meeting between these two programs (Rhodes, Piedmont) was canceled due to inclement weather
--Graduation of program's inaugural recruiting class

GAME FACTS
The Lady Lions are set to take on Rhodes on Friday, February 5 with the game time set for 4:00 pm ET, 3:00 pm CT. Live stats and video will be provided for fans unable to make the trip to Memphis. 

THE COACHES' CORNER: A TAKE FROM HEAD COACH EMILY JACQUETTE 
On recently being recognized in the nation's top 50 winningest active coaches: "Our coaching staff here at Piedmont has a lot of passion for what we do, and I think that connects us as coaches.  We want our student-athletes to be successful on the field.  We have an administration that supports us in every way possible, and I think that's what makes it easier for us to be successful at this school."

Talking about her team's veteran presence: "We've been talking a lot about maturity in the last few weeks. We're ready to take on more responsibility and challenge ourselves in ways we've never been challenged because we have an ultimate goal, and that's to finish what we started."

On some of the new faces on the 2016 roster: "MOLLY SIMMET is a transfer that came in from Lees-McRae College.  She's a sophomore and is a great athlete that is buying in to everything that we are teaching and implementing.  She's very adaptable and versatile and very much committed to helping her team be successful.  We also have a new freshman keeper as well in MATTIE KEATON, and she's doing a great job of doing the work everyday in practice challenging Blake (Forrest).  Everyday they are able to be partners working together to get better, and it's great for us to have a little bit more depth in the goalie position as well."

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
The contest scheduled between these two programs last season was canceled due to inclement weather in the Demorest area.  The meeting would have been the first between the two.

SCOUTING RHODES (Southern Athletic Association)
Wrapping up just their second season of varsity competition last spring, the Lynx of Rhodes College have been on a tear comparable with that of Piedmont going 15-2 last season on the way to winning the Southern Athletic Association Championship Tournament and earning a spot in the 2015 NCAA National Tournament.  

Rhodes earned a win in their first-ever NCAA postseason game knocking off Meredith from the USA South before falling to the nation's 3rd ranked team, Franklin & Marshall, in the 2nd round 21-3.

The Lynx return freshman sensation Kendall Cunningham from last year's run as the now sophomore brings back her team-high 74 goals from 2015.  Rhodes is led by Head Coach Brice Queener who is 23-6 as the leader of the program taking his Lynx to the NCAA's last season. 

TEACH ME HOW TO DOUGLAS
Piedmont's attack the last two seasons has weighed on MCKYNSEY DOUGLAS heavily with the veteran tallying two straight seasons of 60-plus goals.  Last year, she led the team with 63 goals, 3rd most in the USA South.  However, Douglas is not the only weapon to be feared for opposing defenses as fellow sharp shooter ALEXIS NARDUCCI also returns after scoring 34 in her junior season last year.  Narducci is a former IWLCA All-Region selection while 2014 USA South Rookie of the Year KAYLA JONES comes back for 2016 as well to keep opposing defenses up at night with thoughts on how to stop the multi-faceted attack of the Green and Gold.

MANN-ING UP IN THE MIDFIELD
The veteran presence for Piedmont is also visible in the midfield led by seniors CAHNER MANNS and MAGGIE MCDANIEL who come back for their final season.  McDaniel led the team with 93 points and 46 assists last year while Manns made her living on the draw with a team-high 70 to her name in 2015.

NEXT UP FOR PIEDMONT FOLLOWING THE TOURNEY
The Lady Lions stay on the road for a match-up with Hendrix in Conway, Arkansas on Saturday, February 6 with opening draw set for 4:00 pm ET, 3:00 pm CT.