UConn Beats Marist for Fifth Straight Win

from press release

STORRS, Conn. -- University of Connecticut lacrosse held Marist to two goals in the final half of play en route to a 15-8 victory over the Red Foxes on Wednesday. Sophomore M.E. Lapham (Cazenovia, N.Y.) led the Huskies in scoring to their fifth-straight victory. Lapham finished the midweek tilt with six points at George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.

Lapham finished with a game-high four goals and added on a pair of assists for Connecticut. Junior Jillian Cerar (Massapequa, N.Y.) had a hat trick while three other players scored twice for the Huskies.

Lapham caused Marist netminder Alyssa Littin to turn the ball over and foul. That second half play proved to be a costly one for the Red Foxes as Lapham scored her fourth goal of the game for a 13-8 Connecticut lead with 5:55 remaining in regulation.

The momentum continued to favor the Huskies who outscored the Red Foxes in the second half, holding Marist to a mere two goals in the final 30 minutes. Kelly Condon and Ariel Kramer scored for Marist with Condon co-leading the team in scoring with four points. Jori Procaccini also ended the day with four points.

Junior Jessica Mucci (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.) was all over the field on Wednesday, collecting four groundballs and winning four draw controls. Both efforts were a team-high on the day.

For the first time this season, the Huskies entered the break tied with the opposition 6-6. Lapham finished the first 30 minutes with a hat trick, contributing three times to a four-goal run in the first half to take a 6-3 lead. Freshman Catherine Gross (Andover, Mass.) scored as well for her fifth of the season

Lapham had five points before the first half ended and finished the game with six.
 
The Red Foxes closed the half with a three-goal spurt to tie the game and despite the Huskies maintaining position in the final minute of play they were unable to score. Marist opened the contest with a two unanswered goals, including Morgan Dillon's goal 14 seconds in.

The second half opened with a quick goal by redshirt senior Ashley Mitchelides (Hudson, Ohio) to give the Huskies a 7-6 advantage. It did not last long as the Red Foxes tied the game for the fourth time moments later.

Sophomore Stephanie Norton (Amherst, N.H.) caused a Marist turnover, picked up the ground ball and took it all the way to the offensive end to score the first goal of her collegiate career. That game made it a 9-7 UConn lead less than eight minutes into the second half.

About two minutes later, senior Jenna Moulton (Rochester, N.Y.) made an instrumental save on a Marist free-position shot before it crossed the line to keep the momentum, and the scoreboard, in UConn's favor. She finished the game with six saves while shots favored the Huskies (33-16). With a free-position opportunity of their own, the Huskies capitalized with 13:06 on the clock. Redshirt junior Lauren Sparks (West Chester, Pa) scored her second-consecutive goal for the 12-7 advantage. Sparks now has 10 goals on the year is one of four players with double-figure goals thus far this season.

The Red Foxes' Kramer snapped the four-goal UConn run to cut the deficit to 12-8 at 11:50 in the second half.

Lapham's final goal of the game came six minutes later followed by a pair of goals from Cerar to give the game its 15-8 final.

UConn resumes the season on the road with a 1 p.m. contest at Sacred Heart on Saturday.

Game Notes
• This is the second 2009 one-goal loss the Huskies have avenged in 2010 at George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.
• UConn has held its opponent to less than 10 goals in four of the five victories this season.
• The 16-8 win gives the Huskies their first victory over Marist in program history.