HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 30, 2022)  – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team built a four-goal lead in the first quarter en route to a 19-3 victory over DeSales University Wednesday in a MAC Freedom matchup at the DeBaun Athletic Complex.

Seniors Camryn Rogers and Natalie Fitzpatrick joined junior Zoe Cook in scoring four times for the Ducks, who returned to their winning ways in moving to 9-1 on the year and to 1-0 in league play. Stevens has won each of its last two conference openers. Cook also added an assist to finish with a team-high five points. 

Dani Towey scored twice to lead DeSales, who fell to 4-5 on the year and to 0-1 in the MAC Freedom. The Bulldogs have dropped three straight. 

Senior Morgan Westerby had three goals and an assist as nine different players had at least one point. Junior Maddie Schmidt netted her second hat trick of the season and sophomore Emily Leiby scored off a free-position attempt to round out the Ducks' goal scorers. First-year Emily Smart dished out a game-high three assists for the fourth time and first-year Erica Schug and junior Julieann Murphy each had one to round out the Ducks' offensive efforts. Smart currently leads the team with 20 helpers and ranks third in the MAC Freedom with two assists per game.

"Great team win!" head coach Karen Shaddock said. "I was really impressed with how hard everyone worked tonight. Morgan, Nat and Cam were great leaders on the field and dominated the draw. Erica, Marie, Colleen and Malicki played great and both goalies had some good saves. Our offense was fantastic; we had so many opportunities and had true team offense."

Senior Lauren Cunniff made four saves in the cage to earn the victory for Stevens. First-year Erica Strojny took over at the start of the fourth quarter and made one save in her third career appearance. Michaela Regan made 10 saves in defeat for DeSales.

Rogers opened scoring just 34 seconds into the contest. Westerby won the game's first draw control, allowing the Ducks to set up in the offensive zone. Meagan Landers was whistled for a shooting space violation and Rogers quickly converted the eight-meter attempt for her 41st of the year. It was the first of three free-position goals for the Ducks and Rogers' four-goal performance left the Branchburg, New Jersey native two shy of 100 for her career and 15 shy of 100 career goals at Stevens.

Fitzpatrick followed with her first of the evening and Rogers netted her second of the day two minutes later as the Ducks opened a three-goal lead before DeSales attempted its first shot of the evening. Landers put the Bulldogs on the board with her 16th of the year, but Cook and Schmidt scored less than a minute apart to give the Ducks a 5-1 advantage through one quarter.

Towey registered her first marker of the day to open scoring in the second quarter, but the Ducks responded in a big way, scoring seven unanswered goals to take a 12-2 lead into halftime. Fiztpatrick began the onslaught and four different players found the back of the net during the sequence. The offensive fireworks continued after the intermission, with the Ducks tacking on another five goals to pad their lead.

Schmidt completed her hat trick to open scoring in the final quarter, taking advantage of a Mary Connolly yellow card for dangerous contact to score the Ducks' 16th woman-up goal of the season. Towey and Fitzpatrick alternated goals over the final 11 minutes to provide the Ducks' final margin of victory.

Stevens forced 11 of the Bulldogs' 16 turnovers. Rogers registered three caused turnovers, while senior Meredith Conlin had two to spearhead the Ducks' defensive efforts. Landers was one of four Bulldogs to record a caused turnovers to lead DeSales.

The Ducks were dominant on the draw, winning 19 of the game's 26 draw controls. Westerby corralled a career-high nine, while Fitzpatrick had five. Rogers earned four and Leiby added one to round out the Ducks' efforts. The Ducks lead the conference with 161 draw controls.

Stevens held a 17-10 edge in ground balls. Landers picked up four to both sides, while Cunniff scooped up three to lead the Ducks. Fitzpatrick, Rogers, Conlin, Schug and senior Maeve McGovern each had two as 10 different players picked up one.

The Ducks were 15 for 18 on clearing attempts, while DeSales was only successful on 19 of its 14 tries.

Cunniff rejected DeSales' only free position attempt of the contest.

Up Next: Women's Lacrosse wraps up its longest homestand of the season on April 2, welcoming King's to the DeBaun Athletic Complex. The teams have met just once in their histories, with Stevens coming away with a 19-4 victory in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania last April.

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