UTICA, NY (March 13, 2009) – The nationally-ranked No. 1 Hamilton College women's lacrosse team defeated host Utica College 17-9 in non-conference action Friday night at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. Hamilton (2-0), led by Kailie Briscoe's five goals and one assist, is now 3-0 all-time against the Pioneers (2-2).
Utica sophomore standout Tammy Kohanski opened the scoring on the afternoon when she netted her team-best tenth goal of the season off an assist from freshman Kim Rigney 3:55 into the first half of play. The Continentals answered with four straight goals over the course of the 11:22 and they held a 4-1 advantage with 12:34 to go in the first half. Kaillie Briscoe netted her first two goals of the season, back-to-back, off free position attempts to give Hamilton a lead they would not relinquish.
Kohanski cut the Continental lead to two goals when she scored the Pioneers second tally of the afternoon with 7:58 to go in the first half of play. Hamilton's Anne Gravely sparked a five goal barrage by the Continentals when she netted two straight goals just 14 seconds apart, the second coming with 6:38 to go in the half. Briscoe capped the five goal spurt with her third of the game with 2:50 left in the first half to give Hamilton a 9-2 lead. Utica freshman Kim Rigney added a goal for the Pioneers with 1:31 left to cut the Continental lead to six, 9-3, just before the half.
The Pioneers played the defending national champions tough in the seconds half but they were still outscored 8-6 in the final 30 minutes of play as the Continentals cruised to an eight goal victory. Hamilton scored four of the first five goals in the second half to earn a 13-4 lead with 10:01 left to play. UC answered with two straight goals from senior Jackie Vicencio and Laura Keating to reduce the lead to seven, 13-6, with 11:17 left. The stingy Continentals then netted three straight goals in a span of 3:38 to raise their lead to ten goals, 16-6, with 7:29 to go in the game.
The Pioneers scored three of the game's final four goals to close out the scoring on the day. Kohanski netted her third and fourth of the game, while Rigney added her third of the season with 1:12 to go in the contest.
Seven different Continentals scored goals, led by Briscoe (five), Graveley (four) and Sarah Bray (three).
Kohanski led the way with four goals and she now has a team-best 13 on the season. Rigney added two goals and two assists, while freshman Katlyn Banker, Vicencio and Keating each tallied one goal for UC.
UC returns to action on March 25, 2009 when they travel to Clarkson University for a contest set to begin at 4 p.m.
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