Box Score Highlights | Postgame Interview

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (April 5, 2014) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team remained perfect in the Empire 8 with an 18-6 rout of Alfred University on a windy Saturday afternoon at the De Baun Athletic Complex.
 
With the win, Stevens improves to 6-6 overall and 4-0 in the Empire 8. Alfred drops to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
 
After Alfred scored the game's first goal 1:41 in, the Ducks grabbed a stranglehold of the action and never let go, cruising to the 18-6 win. Senior midfielder Kara Rafferty (Bayshore, N.Y.) put the Ducks on the scoreboard at 26:51, igniting what turned out to be a 13-0 run over a span of 20:09 in the first half. Freshman midfielder Kathleen Kalbian (Cheshire, Conn.), sophomore midfielder Erika Wilcox (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), junior attack Andrea Dragoni (Easton, Pa.), freshman midfielder Caroline DeLuca (Sayville, N.Y.) and sophomore attack Mackenzie Swartout (Rochester, N.Y.) all scored goals in the run as the Ducks ended up taking a 13-2 lead into the intermission.
 
Alfred opened the second-half scoring 18 seconds in, and Rafferty and Wilcox quickly answered for the Ducks. Another Saxon goal was followed by a pair for the Ducks from DeLuca and Swartout with freshman midfielder Jess Leiby (Schnecksville, Pa.) closing the Stevens scoring with the first goal of her career.
 
Freshman Janelle Welkie (Hershey, Pa.), senior Sarah Prall (Lansdale, Pa.) and freshman Julia Loria (New Providence, N.J.) combined to make six saves in goal for Stevens with Welkie earning the win.
 
Stevens ended with a 40-14 edge in shots, putting 31 on goal. The Ducks held a 24-17 margin in ground balls and a 19-6 advantage in draw controls.
 
Wilcox led the Stevens offense with five goals, three assists, four ground balls, three caused turnovers and a draw control. Junior Amanda Ingersoll (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) paced a stingy Duck defense, scooping up five ground balls and causing four turnovers. Rafferty finished with three goals, one assist and three draw controls, with Kalbian getting two goals, one assist, 10 draw controls and four ground balls. Freshman Betsy Crossland (Westfield, N.J.) had two ground balls and two caused turnovers, while Dragoni had two goals. Swartout had a nice game for Stevens, tallying three goals and an assist, as did DeLuca who notched four points on two goals and two helpers.
 
Junior goalie Taylor Tarajos (Rochester, N.Y.) led Alfred with 13 saves.
 
The Ducks are atop the Empire 8 standings at 4-0 and will return to action when they host No. 17 St. John Fisher College in a key Empire 8 showdown next Saturday at the De Baun Athletic Complex. All the action will be webcast live at www.Empire8.TV.