March 25, 2008

Erie, Pa. - Defensive units across the country are struggling to find a way to contain junior All-American candidate Breanna Haggerty. The junior attacker leads the country in both goals scored (39) and goals per game (5.57). Haggerty also ranks fourth overall in points and third in average points per game.

When the competition is at its peak, Haggerty has shown an ability to step up her game, scoring 18 goals in three contests against ranked opponents.

Haggerty came into the season with 95 career goals and ranked seventh on the all-time scoring list, but has quickly moved up the chart. In the season opener against Lees-McRae, she led the Lakers with six goals and two assists. Then two days later, she scored another six goals in Mercyhurst's 16-6 rout of Rollins College. The win marked the first time that the Lakers had gone 2-0 since the 2001 season. Then against No.1 C.W. Post, Haggerty broke the school record for career goals by scoring six goals against the defending Division II national champions.

In the past three games, Haggerty continued to show up offensively with three goals against No. 5 Adelphi, five goals against Seton Hill, and nine goals against No. 9 Queens. She currently has an active scoring streak of at least three goals in 15 consecutive games and has scored at least one goal in 34 of her 36 career games.

Prior to the 2008 season, Haggerty was named as one of 44 women's lacrosse players on the 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List, presented annually to the top male and female lacrosse players at any level. The Tewaaraton Trophy, which is the lacrosse version of the Heisman Trophy, is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award honoring the top male and female varsity collegiate lacrosse player in the United States. Haggerty is listed alongside players at all three NCAA levels.

In 2007, Haggerty was named a second-team All-American by Inside Lacrosse and second team All-Region by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Her freshman year, she also earned second-team All-Region honors and was named to the insidelacrosse.com All-Rookie Team. In her freshman year alone, Haggerty broke the single season record for points (86) and goals (53).