UC Women's Lax Sets New School-Record for Wins; Elmira Cruises Past Houghton
UTICA v KEUKA
The Utica College women’s lacrosse team set a new school-record for wins in a single season after a convincing 11-4 victory over host Keuka College on Wednesday night. Twin sisters Patricia Kane and Megan Kane each tallied a game-high four goals to pace the Pioneers to their school-record ninth victory of the season. UC (9-5), which opened the season winning six of its first seven games, remains on the road Saturday when it heads to Empire 8 Conference foe Stevens Institute of Technology to take on the Ducks at 11 a.m.
Louise Steele-Norton netted two goals for UC, while sophomore Morgan DuPont added one goal and three assists. DuPont now leads the team with 45 points on 21 goals and 24 assists. Megan Kane has a team-best 38 goals this season and Patricia Kane ranks fifth on the team with 21 points.
The Pioneers controlled all facets of the competition, outshooting the visitors 29-11, and they also won the ground ball battle 35-26.
UC put the game away in the first 23:41 by jumping out to a 5-0 lead. The Storm added one tally before the end of the first half and the Pioneers led by four after 30 minutes.
Utica did not slow down in the second half, netting three goals in the first 6:13 to take an 8-1 advantage. Keuka went on to net three more goals before the end of regulation, but UC matched the home team’s goal output to earn the seven goal victory.
Megan Kane also chipped in with a game-high six ground balls and four draw controls. Stephanie Belanger stopped six shots in net to win her school-record ninth victory of the season.
ELMIRA v HOUGHTON
The Elmira College Women's Lacrosse team used a balanced attack as 12 different players scored to cruise past host Houghton College, 17-3, Wednesday evening at Burke Field. The Soaring Eagles improve to 8-7, while the Highlanders drop to 1-11.
Elmira got off to a great start scoring six goals in the first 12 minutes to open up a 6-0 lead.
Ashton Hogan '15 and
Moorea Spojaric '16 each netted two goals apiece during the opening run. The hosts netted three of the next five goals to get within 8-3 with more than four minutes left in the half.
The Soaring Eagles then rattled off six straight scores in the final 3:36 of the half to blow open a 14-3 lead at intermission. Five different players found the back of the net during the spurt including two goals from defender
Rebecca Matturro '14.
EC continued to dominate play in the second half as the Purple and Gold defense did not surrender a goal the final 34:07 of clock time.
Marki Michaels '13 paced Elmira in the second half with a goal and two assists.
Spoljaric led Elmira with three scores on the day, while
Hogan,
Matturro and
Emma Schepers '13 all recorded multi-goal games.
Michaels and
Bridget Keefe '14 tallied two assists apiece.
Marissa Mongillo '15 finished with a game-high six ground balls to go with two draw controls, and
Erin Duffy '14 registered four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
LeAnna Presler '14 earned the win making one save, while
Mary Kate Gellerman '13 stopped one shot in relief. Lauren Niswander made the start for Houghton making six saves and was replaced by Carly Congilosi.
The Women's Lacrosse team returns to action Saturday when it hosts Nazareth College in a pivotal Empire 8 showdown that will have great implications on the playoffs. The contest will start at 1:00 p.m. on Campus Field.