PITTSFORD, N.Y. (May 5, 2019)  – Four different players recorded a goal, but the Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team fell to No. 12 St. John Fisher College 14-4 Sunday in the Empire 8 Conference Championship at Growney Stadium.

Juniors Kyra Bednarski and Emily Shanklin each found the back of the net for the Ducks, who close the season at 9-10. Freshmen Morgan Westerby and Natalie Fitzpatrick also scored for Stevens, who won three of ts last four games to conclude the 2019 campaign. Freshman Gale Bennett assisted on Shanklin's tally to close out Stevens' scoring.

Sydney DeGirolamo totaled three goals and four assists and Mallory Eymer added five goals and an assist for the Cardinals, who won their 17th straight game to improve to 18-1. St. John Fisher captured its eighth consecutive Empire 8 Championship. Mary Grace Doyle was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after totaling three goals, two assists, three ground balls and five draw controls over the two-day event.

Freshman Lauren Cunniff made her second straight start in the cage and made three saves. Sophomore Peyton Taylor came on in relief in the second half and made five saves. Morgan Hayes started for St. John Fisher, allowing one goal in the first half without a save. Claudia Mocciaro relieved Hayes at halftime and stopped two shots.

Logan Chase won the game's opening draw control and Olivia Marziale beat Cunniff 48 seconds into the game to give Fisher an early lead, Eymer added her first of the day to push the lead to two and consecutive goals from DeGirolamo and Eymer gave the Cardinals a four-goal advantage ten minutes into the game. 

Eymer completed her hat trick after a Stevens yellow card and the Cardinals scored four more times before Shanklin put Stevens on the board with her 35th of the year. Fisher responded with goals on consecutive possessions to close out the first half. 

Eymer opened second half scoring, but the Ducks responded on Fitzpatrick's short-handed goal following a yellow card issued to sophomore Tori Bruce. The woman-down goal was the team's first of the season. 

The teams alternated the final four goals of the game to provide the final margin.

St. John Fisher outshot the Ducks 26-11 on the afternoon, including a 22-6 margin in shots on net. DeGirolamo, Eymer and Doyle each took five attempts to lead the Cardinals, while Shanklin paced the Ducks with four.

The Ducks forced 14 Cardinals turnovers, while committing 20. Fitzpatrick and Taylor joined Bruce and senior Regan Littell in causing a turnover, while Fisher's Hayley Maguire forced a game-high three. The edge in turnovers helped the Cardinals achieve a 17-14 edge in ground balls. Taylor and Cunniff combined for seven ground balls to lead the Ducks, while Maguire led all players by scooping up six.

Fisher held a 13-7 advantage in draw controls, although the margin was smaller (4-3) in the second half. DeGirolamo earned a game-high six draws, while Shanklin won five draws, including the final two of the game, to pace the Ducks.

Fitzpatrick and Bednarski each converted a free-position shot, however, as a team, the Ducks converted only two of their seven free-position shots. DeGirolamo converted both of her free-position shots as the Cardinals scored on three of their four attempts.

St. John Fisher was successful on 17 of its 18 clearing attempts, including all 10 in the first half. Stevens was 12 for 20, although the Ducks were 7 for 8 in the second half.

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