The Marquette University women’s lacrosse team heads to the Sunshine State this Sunday to take on Jacksonville. First draw is set for 11 a.m. CT, with ESPN+ broadcasting the game.<\/p>\n
LAST TIME OUT HISTORY VS. JACKSONVILLE SCOUTING THE DOLPHINS FAST START, HEAVY FIREPOWER ELITE EFFICIENCY AT THE EIGHT-METER POINTS PRODUCTION ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL DEFENSE BUILT ON DISRUPTION MOMENTUM IN THE MIDDLE QUARTERS QUALITY OVER QUANTITY SERRANO’S BREAKOUT CAMPAIGN DUAL SCORING THREATS UP TOP
\nMarquette dropped a 19-16 shootout at Arizona State on Tuesday, despite a standout six\u2011point effort from freshman Dani Serrano<\/a>, who scored five goals on five shots. MU battled back from multiple deficits, trimming the margin to two on several occasions and using a three\u2011goal third\u2011quarter man\u2011up run to stay within striking distance. Four different Golden Eagles added two goals each, while freshman goalkeeper Jillian Howell<\/a> posted a career\u2011high 11 saves.<\/p>\n
\nThe Golden Eagles and Dolphins will square off with each other for the first time in each program’s history Sunday.<\/p>\n
\nJacksonville enters Sunday’s matchup off a 2-0 start, posting convincing home wins over Campbell (14-8) and Rider (17\u20134) behind a potent, balanced offense. The Dolphins have outscored opponents 31-12 through two games, shooting an efficient .477 with a dominant .785 shots\u2011on\u2011goal rate. Early standouts include Maeve Brennan (5G, 2A), Jessica Giller (4G, 3A), and Olivia Johnson (5G), while freshman goalie Shae Hagans has anchored the defense with strong early play.<\/p>\n
\nMarquette enters the weekend averaging 15.8 goals per game, ranking No. 11 nationally and No. 1 in the BIG EAST, backed by 79 goals on 144 shots through five contests, outscoring opponents 79-69 overall. Offensively, MU pairs volume with elite precision, shooting .549 from the field (No. 5 nationally) and posting an exceptional .854 shots\u2011on\u2011goal rate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nMU’s dominance in free\u2011position situations remains a differentiator. The Golden Eagles are 14-for-18 (.778), ranking No. 4 in the country and best in the BIG EAST, while opponents sit at .417 (10-for-24).<\/p>\n
\nMarquette averages 22.0 points per game, ranking No. 16 nationally and No. 1 in the conference. MU’s 31 assists on 79 goals (39.2 percent) include nine helpers in the 20\u2011goal opener vs. Eastern Michigan. The program also ranks No. 39 nationally in assists per game (6.20), the second\u2011best mark among BIG EAST schools.<\/p>\n
\nThe Golden Eagles are forcing 10.20 caused turnovers per game, ranking No. 25 nationally and second among league teams. MU has generated 51 caused turnovers to opponents’ 33, led by Mary Velner<\/a> (10 CT) and Sofia Santana<\/a> (8 CT) anchoring a unit that thrives on pressure.<\/p>\n
\nMarquette has surged strongest in the second and third quarters, outscoring opponents 26-21 and 22-11, respectively. Those midgame bursts have repeatedly flipped field position and sparked comeback pushes, including at Arizona State.<\/p>\n
\nMU averages 28.8 shots per game (No. 48 nationally) but converts at elite rates (.549 shot percentage and .854 on\u2011goal), reinforcing a high\u2011return shot profile. That efficiency has helped MU maintain a +2.00 scoring margin despite a demanding early schedule.<\/p>\n
\nFreshman Dani Serrano<\/a> has emerged as one of the nation’s most efficient and productive attackers with 24 points (15G, 9A) through five contests. She ranks No. 19 nationally in points, No. 34 in points per game (4.80) and owns a .750 shot percentage, tied for No. 5 in Division I. Serrano also ranks No. 60 nationally in assists per game (1.80).<\/p>\n
\nSerrano and junior Tess Osburn<\/a> form MU’s most potent scoring duo, each with 15 goals (3.00 per game), tied for No. 46 nationally. Osburn adds five assists and sits second on the team with 20 points, giving MU a reliable 1-2 punch across all offensive sets.<\/p>\n