The UMass women's lacrosse team opens the 2008 season on Tuesday afternoon when in-state rival Holy Cross visits McGuirk Stadium at 2 p.m. The Minutewomen are coming of an 8-9 season a year ago, while the Crusaders were 13-6 overall last season winning the Patriot League Championship and earning a berth to the NCAA Tournament. This will be the second season for the Minutewomen under women's head coach Alexis Venechanos. Holy Cross is coached by UMass Alum Stephanie (Pavlick) Ridolfi '00.

UMass returns 10 starters and 17 letterwinners for the 2008 season. Headlined by senior captain Kathleen Typadis, the Minutewomen also return nearly 90 percent of their offensive production from a year ago. Defensively, UMass returns nearly its entire starting back four.

Tuesday afternoon starts a four-game homestand for the Minutewomen to begin the 2008 season. UMass will next host No. 3 Maryland, Venechanos' alma mater, on Friday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.

Admission is free to all!