UTICA, N.Y. (March 28, 2009) – Eight different players tallied goals and junior Alyssa Pigott and sophomore Leah Wasserman scored four times apiece as the No. 15 Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team won its Empire 8 opener over Utica College, 17-8 on Saturday afternoon in Utica, N.Y. Stevens (7-0, 1-0 Empire 8) scored the final six goals of the first half to take a commanding 11-3 lead into the locker room as the outcome was never in question. WomensLacrosse.com Defensive Player of the Week Grace Sack was once again strong in goal, making five saves and moving to 7-0 on the season.
Stevens controlled the action throughout, and it showed on the stat sheet. The Ducks took 41 shots and held Utica (3-3, 0-1 Empire 8) to just 16. Stevens also won 19-of-27 draw controls and had seven fewer turnovers than the Pioneers (27-20).
Sophomore midfielder Christine Smith got the Ducks on the board early with an unassisted tally 1:21 into the contest, and junior midfielder Kara Borzillo scored 39 ticks later on a feed from sophomore midfielder Karen Federico.
Utica got on the board with a free-position goal but Wasserman found net twice in 36 seconds to give Stevens a 4-1 lead. After the two teams traded goals, the Ducks ripped off the game's next six goals to expand a two-goal lead (5-3) to eight by the end of the half. Pigott, Borzillo, Wasserman, sophomore Pamela Loria, and junior Fionuala Quinn all scored in the offensive explosion.
Utica scored 5:13 into the second to make the score 11-4, but the Ducks responded with five in a row to put the game away.
Pigott finished with five points (four goals, one assist) three ground balls and two draw controls as Wasserman added two assists to go along with her four goals, three ground balls, three draw controls, and a game-high five caused turnovers.
Borzillo had a strong all-around performance, scoring three goals and assisting on another. She also scooped up two ground balls and caused two turnovers. Smith had five draw controls, three ground balls, four caused turnovers, and one goal.
Head Coach Celine Cunningham was able to use her entire bench and several reserves played very well. Freshman Ashley Carey was strong all game, registering two assists, three ground balls, and a caused turnover as junior Katie Lalli scored once, picked up three ground balls, and caused three turnovers.
The Pioneers were paced by four goals from sophomore Tammy Kohanski (Syracuse, N.Y.) and 15 saves from goalkeeper Shelby Barbay (Waterloo, N.Y.).
Stevens will take on Hartwick College Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Top Story photo courtesy of Richard Prego (The Stute)
