UNION, N.J. (March 4, 2019)  – Freshman Maeve McGovern scored the first three goals of her collegiate career, including the game-winning goal with 2:11 remaining in regulation, as the Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team defeated Kean University Monday afternoon in a non-conference game at Kean Alumni Stadium.

McGovern's heroics were needed after Danni LeSaint and Morgan Graham bridged the intermission with goals to give the home team a 5-3 lead. Stevens had rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie the game at three, before LeSaint completed her hat trick with 41 seconds left in the opening stanza.

McGovern sparked the rally with her second of the game with a little over nine minutes to play and then capped the Ducks' comeback by completing the hat trick with to push Stevens back in front. Down a player after a green card, sophomore Tori Bruce stripped Katie Pileggi with 20 seconds remaining to cement the victory.

Junior Kyra Bednarski and freshman Natalie Fitzpatrick also found the back of the net for the Ducks, who improved to 1-1. It was just the first meeting between the teams since April 6, 2007, when the in-state foes competed in the Skyline Conference. Fitzpatrick's marker was the first of her collegiate career.

Kean fell to 0-2.

The victory marked the first win at Stevens for first-year head coach Karen Shaddock.

"It was a great team win," Shaddock said. "I'm very proud of how hard [the team] worked and that they never gave up. There was a tremendous defensive effort with some really big stops when we needed them."

The combined 11 goals are the lowest in any Stevens women's lacrosse game since the Ducks and Trinity (Ct.) also combined for 11 goals on Mar. 22, 2017. The Ducks' six goals are the lowest offensive output in a winning performance since Stevens defeated Western New England University by the same 6-5 margin on Mar. 12, 2003.

Sophomore Olivia Demetres made her first collegiate start and made five saves to earn her first career victory. Josie Pagano made nine saves for Kean.

For the game, each team recorded 15 shots. All 15 of Stevens' shot were on target as the Ducks held a 15-10 edge in shots on net. McGovern and LeSaint each took a game-high five shots. 

Defensively, Demetres and senior Regan Littell, each caused two turnovers as Stevens forced 26 Kean miscues on the day. The Cougars' Emily Bretschneider forced four turnovers to lead all players as the home team forced Stevens into 22 turnovers. Bruce and Pagano each scooped up four ground balls to lead all players, but the Ducks outearned the Cougars 17-16 in ground balls for the game. 

Stevens was successful on 17 of its 21 clear attempts, while Kean went 14-for-22. The Cougars held a slim 7-6 advantage in draw controls, with Meghan Tillger earning six draws to lead all players. Freshman Morgan Westerby led the Ducks with three draws, while Bruce added two. Junior Emily Shanklin picked up the final draw for the Ducks.

McGovern and Bednarski each converted a free-position shot as the Ducks scored on two of their six free-position attempts. LeSaint and Pileggi each successfully converted a free-position attempt for the Cougars.

Up Next: Stevens travels to Carlisle, Pennsylvania for a non-conference matchup with Dickinson College on Mar. 6. The teams have split the two previous meetings, with the Red Devils coming out on top 20-8 in the first-ever meeting on Mar. 14, 2006 and the Ducks earning the victory in Hoboken 22-16 on May 11, 2008 to win ECAC Metro-South title.

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