Box Score Rafferty to Wilcox Goal



HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 5, 2014) – Sophomore midfielder Erika Wilcox (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) scored seven goals to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team to a 15-9 triumph over FDU-Florham, snapping a two-game skid and improving the Ducks' 2014 record to 2-2.

In addition to her seven tallies, the second-year Duck added two draw controls, two caused turnovers and three ground balls to her line in an excellent all-around performance. Freshman midfielder Kathleen Kalbian (Cheshire, Conn.) and senior midfielder Kara Rafferty (Bayshore, N.Y.) also played big games for the Ducks. Kalbian tallied three goals, scooped up five ground balls, controlled five draws and caused three turnovers, while Rafferty had three goals, two assists and three ground balls.

Junior defender Amanda Ingersoll (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) had three draw controls, one big goal and two ground balls, and junior defender Courtney Lee (Brookeville, Md.) had three caused turnovers and three ground balls. Freshman midfielder/defender Betsy Crossland (Westfield, N.J.) had two caused turnovers and two ground balls as did sophomore Amanda Kowalski (Sparta, N.J.), while freshman midfielder Mariel Haubrich (Ocean City, N.J.) had one goal, one assist and a ground ball. Junior defender Gabriela Sanchez (Auburn, N.H.) also had a nice game for Stevens, notching four key draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover.

After trading goals to start, the Ducks erupted for seven-straight to open an 8-1 lead with 6:15 left in the first half. Kalbian started the run at 26:38 and just 1:28 later, Wilcox scored her first of the game. Kalbian tallied again, with Haubrich getting in on the action 9:24 in to the game to give Stevens a 5-1 margin.

Wilcox, Rafferty and Wilcox again notched markers with the first Wilcox tally coming on a pretty feed from Rafferty, and FDU finally recorded its second goal of the contest with 5:02 remaining in the first to make it 8-2.

Closing out the first-half scoring was Wilcox, going unassisted with 2:01 left to send the Ducks into the locker room with a 9-2 lead.

The Ducks scored two of the first three goals in the first half to take an 11-3 edge with 19:17 on the clock, but three-straight markers from FDU brought the guests back within five (11-6) with just 16:01 to play. That's when Ingersoll's big tally came in as the junior captain scooped up a ground ball and took it the length of the field for her first marker of the year.

The Devils (0-3) tallied a pair more to get within four goals (12-8) with 12:02 on the clock, but Kalbian and Wilcox rang the bell just 2:04 apart to seal the win.

The Ducks dominated possession and ended the game with a 44-16 advantage in shots. Stevens committed only 11 turnovers to finish plus-11 in the turnover battle, and the Ducks also won 16-of-26 draw controls. Each team scooped up 25 ground balls with FDU's goalie Grace Warburton (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) making 19 stops.

The Devils were led by three goals apiece from freshman Brienna Reasoner (Flemington, N.J.) and freshman Joelle Manganella (Kenvil, N.J.).

The Ducks, who are now back at .500 on the season, will head out to the West Coast for games in California against the Claremont Mudd Scripps and nationally-ranked Franklin and Marshall College. Stevens and CMS will do battle on March 9 at 1 p.m. (PST), while the Ducks and Diplomats square off March 12 at 11 a.m. (PST).