WLAX Begins Final Homestand Saturday Hosting Villanova

The Marquette University women’s lacrosse team (7-5, 1-2 BIG EAST) heads back to Milwaukee this Saturday, opening the final homestand of the season against Villanova (8-3, 2-0 BIG EAST). First draw is set for 12 p.m. CT from Valley Fields, with ESPN+ featuring the broadcast.

LAST TIME OUT
Marquette fell 15-9 to No. 19 Denver on Wednesday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium, dropping to 7-4 overall and 1-2 in BIG EAST play. Tess Osburn led the Golden Eagles with five points (two goals, three assists) in her home state of Colorado, while Dani Serrano added three points on a goal and two assists. Marquette stayed within striking distance through the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 12-8, but Denver closed the game with three of the final four goals to secure the win.

HISTORY VS. VILLANOVA
Marquette and Villanova have met 13 times all‑time, with the Wildcats holding a narrow 7-6 series advantage. The series has been evenly split in recent years, with Marquette winning four of five meetings from 2017-23, including back‑to‑back road victories in Philadelphia in 2021 and 2023. Villanova has responded by taking the last two meetings, most recently a 15-8 win in Philadelphia in 2025.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Villanova enters the matchup at 8-3 overall and 2-0 in BIG EAST play, riding a 10-8 road win at UConn on April 1 to remain unbeaten in conference action.  The Wildcats rely on possession and ball movement, ranking No. 1 in the BIG EAST in both assists per game (7.55) and draw controls per game (14.91).  Offensively, Villanova features balanced production from Mary Moore (19 goals), Rose Christie (16 goals, 16 assists) and Elena Torres (16 goals), while Emma Verhoest‘s 108 draw controls give the Wildcats a consistent edge at the circle.

SANTANA, BODNER EARN BIG EAST HONORS
Following Marquette’s 10–7 road win at Xavier, Sofia Santana was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week after delivering a dominant performance highlighted by a career‑high and program‑record seven caused turnovers, along with a ground ball to anchor the Golden Eagles’ defense. Bodner earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll, producing a well‑rounded effort that included a goal, an assist, six draw controls, two caused turnovers and a ground ball, while helping Marquette control possession throughout the victory.

TOP-25 OFFENSE
Marquette averages 13.25 goals per game, ranking No. 32 nationally and No. 2 in the BIG EAST, trailing only Denver. The Golden Eagles also rank No. 35 nationally and No. 2 in the conference in points per game (19.58), reflecting an offense built on balance and pace.

EFFICIENCY OVER VOLUME
MU pairs its scoring output with efficiency, ranking No. 25 nationally and No. 2 in the BIG EAST in shot percentage (.461). Marquette has also converted 47.9% of free‑position opportunities, which ranks No. 52 nationally and No. 4 in the conference, providing consistent production on set pieces.

SHOTS, PRESSURE, TEMPO
The Golden Eagles rank No. 43 nationally and No. 4 in the BIG EAST in shots per game (28.75), while placing No. 17 nationally and No. 1 in the league in shots on goal per game (22.50). MU’s ability to consistently put shots on cage has forced opposing defenses into extended possessions.

CLEAN IN TRANSITION
The Golden Eagles clear at an 87.4% rate, ranking No. 67 nationally and No. 4 in the BIG EAST. MU has out‑cleared its opponents by more than five percent this season, limiting transition opportunities and keeping opponents’ defensive units on the field.

DEFENSE BY DISRUPTION
Marquette ranks No. 23 nationally and No. 1 in the BIG EAST in caused turnovers per game (10.50). Sofia Santana leads the team with 23 caused turnovers, averaging 1.92 per game (No. 40 nationally), while Mary Velner adds 20 caused turnovers to bolster a defense built on pressure.

SERRANO’S BREAKOUT CAMPAIGN
Freshman Dani Serrano has emerged as one of the most productive newcomers in the nation. Serrano leads Marquette and the BIG EAST with 25 assists, ranking No. 24 nationally, while her 2.08 assists per game rank No. 32 nationally. Serrano also tops MU with 50 points, ranking No. 32 nationally, and averages 4.17 points per game.

OSBURN THE FINISHER
Tess Osburn leads the Golden Eagles with 33 goals, ranking No. 39 nationally and No. 3 in the BIG EAST, while averaging 2.75 goals per game (No. 51 nationally). Osburn also leads MU with eight man‑up goals, a key reason Marquette remains among the league’s most dangerous special‑teams units.

BODNER’S MIDFIELD IMPACT
Hanna Bodner consistently impacts the game in all three phases, anchoring possession at the draw while contributing on both offense and defense. She leads Marquette with 54 draw controls, helping MU rank among the top teams in the BIG EAST at the circle, while also adding 25 goals as a physical midfield scoring threat. On the defensive end, Bodner has recorded 11 caused turnovers and 22 ground balls, allowing the Golden Eagles to flip the field and control tempo, underscoring her value as a true all‑around presence.

DEFENSIVE TRIO SETS THE TONE
The defensive trio of Mary Velner, Sofia Santana and Taylor Kotschevar has been central to Marquette’s pressure‑based identity, combining physicality, anticipation and consistency to limit opponents’ opportunities. Santana leads the team with 23 caused turnovers, including a program‑record seven in a single game at Xavier, while Velner adds 20 caused turnovers to go with a team‑best 21 ground balls, frequently finishing defensive stops. Kotschevar rounds out the group with 12 caused turnovers and 20 ground balls, providing steady production and positional versatility. Together, the trio anchors a unit that ranks No. 1 in the BIG EAST and No. 23 nationally in caused turnovers per game, allowing Marquette to flip the field and dictate tempo.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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