Pioneers Earn Most Lopsided Victory in Program-History
Utica, NY (3/2/2013) – Five different Pioneers scored at least two goals as the Utica College women’s lacrosse team cruised to a 20-1 victory in its season opener against visiting Houghton College on the turf at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Saturday afternoon. Freshman Courtney Wheeler got her collegiate career off on the right foot with four goals and one assist, while sophomore Morgan DuPont added a career-best seven points on three goals and a team-high four assists. DuPont's four assists is tied for second on the College's single-game list.
The Pioneers, who have won by 18 goals on six different occasions since the program’s inception back in 2001, set a new school-record for margin of victory.
Patricia Kane added four goals and one assist, while Briana Estabrook and Megan Kane each added two goals apiece for the Pioneers (1-0). Utica won its season opening contest for the first time since 2009, topping the first-year Highlanders (0-1), who were playing in their program’s first intercollegiate contest. Houghton’s Nicole Mason scored the first goal in program-history for the Highlanders with 10:27 to go in the second half.
The Pioneers jumped out to a 14-0 lead by the end of the first half and never looked back as they outscored the visitors 6-1 in the final 30 minutes of action to earn the 19 goal victory.
Colleen Dowling, Mary Morgan Marafino, Lauren Gilmore, Julia Primps and Lindsey Gelles each added one goal for UC. Alexandra Balboni, Dowling, Estabrook, and Marafino each added an assist in the victory. Marafino also chipped in with a game-high seven ground balls, three caused turnovers and three draw controls.
Utica senior goalie Stephanie Belanger stopped four shots and scooped up six ground balls in her first win of the season. Houghton goalie Lauren Niswander added ten saves and five ground balls in the loss. Jennifer Newcomb had a team-best four ground balls for the Highlanders.
UC went 4-for-7 on free position attempts and won 16-of-23 draw controls.
The Pioneers return to action at Skidmore College on Wednesday afternoon when they take on the Thoroughbreds at 4 p.m.
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