NEWARK, DE -- The Delaware women’s lacrosse team, coming off an 11-6 season that saw the Hens advance to the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, opens its 2008 campaign with a visit from Big East power Rutgers on Thursday afternoon at Rullo Stadium.

The UD women, who were picked to finish second in the CAA pre-season poll earlier this month, will rely on their balanced offense to carry them to new heights this year. Fourth-year head coach Kim Ciarrocca welcomes back all 12 starters and the top six scorers from last year’s squad, which averaged 12.6 goals per game and had five players score 30 or more goals.

Leading the way is sophomore attack Nicole Flego, the team’s top scorer as a freshman in 2007 with 36 goals and 22 assists. Flego, last year’s CAA Rookie of the Year, was selected to the Inside Lacrosse pre-season All-American third team last week. She is joined on the front line by senior captain Katie Muth and fellow senior Casey McCrudden (at right), who scored 37 and 33 goals, respectively, a year ago. Flego (sixth), McCrudden (seventh), and Muth (10th) all ranked among the CAA’s top 10 in points.

Junior captain Debbie Sloan returns after netting 36 goals in ’07, while sophomore Courtney Aburn is expected to shine after she found the net 36 times last season. In goal, the Hens will count on Jessica Cerveny, who made 117 saves and allowed just 9.88 goals per game in 2007.

Senior captain Stephanie McQuade anchors the Delaware defense, which also welcomes back juniors Angela Gaeta (26 ground balls), Erin Zimmerman (30 ground balls), and Amanda Lahiff (16 ground balls).

When Delaware met Rutgers last season in Piscataway, NJ, the Scarlet Knights scored a 15-12 victory despite four goals and two assists from Sloan. Michelle Poole led RU with four goals and an assist, and the Hens fell despite out-shooting Rutgers 35-31.

The Knights opened their season on Sunday with a 21-4 loss to No. 1 Northwestern, the three-time defending national champions. Sophomore Brooke Cantwell notched two goals for Rutgers, which finished 12-5 last year, earned a spot in the Big East semifinals, and ended the season ranked 14th in the country by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association. RU is led by junior attack Nina Frankoski, a pre-season All-Big East pick who netted 40 goals last year. The Knights boast two other pre-season all-conference picks in goalie Sandra Abel and defender Jessica Davis.

Both Delaware and Rutgers received votes in this week’s Inside Lacrosse poll.

The Blue Hens haven’t won a season opener since 2005, when they toppled Rutgers 12-9 on the road. UD has triumphed in two consecutive home openers, however.