Sacred Heart Edges Wagner for 3-0 NEC Start
from press release
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The Sacred Heart
women's lacrosse team used a five-goal run to close the first half
and turned in a solid defensive effort on their way to a 9-7
Northeast Conference win at Wagner Friday afternoon. For the
third-straight game, the Pioneers forced their opponent into 20 or
more turnovers while allowing less the 10 goals as they improve to
3-0 to start NEC play.
The Pioneers (5-4, 3-0 NEC) used a balanced scoring attack with
four players scoring two goals apiece in the win. SHU used the
final 11:42 of the first half to erase a 3-2 Wagner lead with a 5-0
run with sophomore Kate Kmiotek (Farmingville, NY) scoring both of
her goals in the rally.
Wagner (1-7, 0-3 NEC) struck first with a Dana Marchitelli
unassisted goal just 1:37 into the game and then answered a pair of
Pioneers goals with a pair for a 3-2 lead. Senior Carissa Hauser
(East Northport, NY) put SHU on the board at 23:19 with a score
from sophomore Kaitlin Rochler (Wading River, NY). Sophomore Alicia
Fuchs (Bay Shore, NY) made it 2-1 Pioneers just 1:09 later off a
feed from Jackie Pierce (Cortlandt Manor, NY), her first of three
assists.
Karen Vitkus put the Seahawks up 3-2 with 14:48 left in the first
half scoring consecutive goals. SHU's Kmiotek ignited the Pioneer
rally with an unassisted marker at 11:42 and ended it with 45
seconds left before the half off a feed from Hauser. In between,
Hauser, Fuchs and Rochler all found the back of the cage, two from
Pierce, as SHU went up 7-3 at the half.
The Pioneers made it six unanswered goals opening the second half
with Rochler's second at 27:14 for an 8-3 advantage. Wagner used a
pair of 8meter free position goals at 24:43 and 16:13 to cut the
lead to 8-5. Pierce scored her lone goal at 10:25 on a free
position attempt to push the lead to 9-5.
The Seahawks would tack on two more as Caroly Clark scored
unassisted at 5:05 and Teri Noll buried an Annie O'Connor feed at
1:23 to pull within 9-7. In the closing minute Wagner had a chance
to cut the lead to one but an Ericka Bulken shot was turned away by
senior Chelsea Wagner (Aurora, CO) and the Pioneers would clear the
ball and run out the clock for the win.
Defensively, SHU forced 20 Wagner miscues and held the Seahawks to
just 12-of-19 on clear attempts. Kmiotek led the way with three
caused turnovers and five ground balls. Sophomore Mary LaGrassa
(Massapequa, NY) had five grounders as well. Wagner made six saves
in collecting the win.
