CLERMONT, Fla. (March 14, 2012) – Top-ranked and defending national champ Gettysburg College downed 13th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology, 18-9, in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Wednesday in Clermont, Fla. The win pushes the Bullets' overall record to 3-0, while the Ducks drop to 2-2 with the loss. Stevens was led by seniors Ashley Carey (Mahopac, N.Y.) and Jenna Scheibling (Long Valley, N.J.).
Carey finished with a team-high five draw controls, two ground balls and one goal, while Scheibling had two goals and two assists for the Ducks. Junior midfielder Joey Galligan (Burlingame, Calif.) had a goal and two assists, while junior midfielder Spencer Waybright (West Hartford, Conn.) had two goals. Junior goalie Meg Collins (Marshfield, Mass.) made seven saves between the pipes and picked up a team-best four ground balls.
Gettysburg ended the contest with a 35-20 edge in shots and a 14-13 margin in ground balls. The Bullets controlled 19 of the 29 draws in the game and were successful on five of their 10 free-position attempts.
After Gettysburg tallied the first three goals of the game, the Ducks got in the board with 17:39 to play in the first when sophomore midfielder Kara Rafferty (Bayshore, N.Y.) found the back of the net after a pass from Scheibling. The Bullets went on to score three-straight to open a 6-1 margin with the Ducks scoring two of the first period's final three goals to make it 7-3 at intermission. Galligan and Scheibling recorded the Stevens tallies.
The Bullets scored three of the second half's first four goals before Waybright pulled the Ducks back within five (10-5) at the 24:49 mark, but the Bullets went on to tally five unanswered to pull away. Carey ended the Gettysburg run with seven minutes left and freshman Gabriela Sanchez (Auburn, N.H.) followed that to make it 15-7. Scheibling and senior attack Michelle Buonacuore (Medford, N.J.) netted the final two Stevens goals.
The Bullets were led by six goals and one assist from senior attack Hannah Church (Ellicott City, Md.) and five goals from sophomore attach Loren Pruitt (Moorestown, N.J.). Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Markiewicz (Salisbury, Conn.) had two goals and a team-high four draw controls, while junior midfielder Hayward Sawers (Timonium, Md.) and junior defender Mairead McGuirk (Bel Air, Md.) each scooped up three ground balls.
The Ducks return to action in Florida on Wednesday when they take on Springfield College. Game time is slated for 10 a.m.
