HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 8, 2009) – Sophomore midfielder Christine Smith found net five times and recorded the 100th point of her career, and senior defender Cassidy Callahan had a huge all-around game as the No. 11 Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team moved to 11-0 on the season with a 14-8 win over Rowan University on Wednesday night at the De Baun Athletic Complex. Stevens scored five of the game's first seven goals to take a 5-2 lead, and Rowan (5-5) never got closer than three the rest of the way.
Once again, Stevens controlled the stat sheet, outshooting the Profs 37-19 and picking up 21 ground balls compared to 15 for Rowan. The Ducks took 15-of-24 draws and turned the ball over just 13 times.
The game had an enormous number of fouls called as both teams were visibly bothered at times. The Ducks were whistled for 37 fouls and Rowan 21 as the officials really had an impact on the flow of the game.
Sophomore Karen Federico got the Ducks rolling with a goal just 42 seconds into the action. Smith followed with her first tally 7:06 later, and sophomore Pamela Loria netted goal number three.
Federico and sophomore Leah Wasserman scored 43 seconds apart after Rowan got on the board to build a 5-1 lead, and it was no looking back for the Ducks. The two teams went back and forth from the 10-minute mark of the first half, but Stevens was able to push the lead to 9-5 after the first 30 minutes. Smith scored goals six, seven and nine and Federico put away Stevens' eighth.
The Ducks, who led Rowan last year at the half before eventually losing, came out early in the second half and made a statement. Wasserman pushed the lead to five with 29:03 to go, and junior Alyssa Pigott scored for the first time in the contest to make the score 11-5.
The Profs were able to slice into the Stevens lead 4:36 into the second, but Pigott and Wassmerman hooked up for a pretty goal a little less than nine minutes later to essentially seal the win.
Rowan came back again to chop the lead to five, but Pigott scored her third-straight goal and Smith scored her fifth of the night to make the score 14-7 with 5:30 to play as Stevens cruised the rest of the way.
Senior goalkeeper Grace Sack made eight saves and got her 11th win of the season in goal for Stevens. Her counterpart, Alicia Mannino (Richboro, Pa.), was excellent, making 18 saves for the Profs.
Pigott finished with three goals, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Sophomore defender Kate Cox caused four turnovers and picked up three ground balls in addition to corralling one draw. Federico also had three goals for the Ducks, and Wasserman tallied twice, had two assists, two ground balls and a draw control.
Smith ended the contest with five goals on just seven shots, two ground balls, and three draw controls. Callahan was all over the field the entire night, scooping up three ground balls, getting to five draws, and causing four Rowan turnovers.
Stevens will return to the field on April 18 when it hosts St. John Fisher College in a key Empire 8 game. The game will be webcast live at www.Empire8.tv and first draw is scheduled for 1p.m. at the De Baun Athletic Complex.
