Box Score St. John Fisher 11, Utica 7 -
Box Score
Utica, NY – The St. John Fisher College women's lacrosse used a 6-0 run in a span of 17 minutes midway through the contest to take a 9-4 lead, and the Cardinals never looked back, as they held host Utica College to three second half goals on their way to an 11-7 victory in Empire 8 Conference action at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium Friday night. Senior captain
Maria Santucci (Holliston, MA/Marian) netted three goals for the Pioneers, while classmate
Katlyn Banker (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) added a career-high five assists.
The Pioneers snapped a two game winning streak as their record moved to 5-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The
Cardinals, who received a game-high four goals from Taylor Hughes, improved to 7-3 overall and remained perfect at 2-0 in the E8.
Fisher jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first 3:12 of action behind a goal from Erin Ward and two straight from the stick of Melissa Leonhard. The Pioneers answered with four consecutive goals to take a 4-3 lead in the next 11 minutes of action. Four different Pioneers' scored, including
Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville), Banker, Santucci and
Julia Primps (Ossining, NY/Ossining).
Just 19 seconds after UC's fourth goal the Cardinals exploded for six straight to essentially seal the victory. Hughes netted three of her four goals in the scoring barrage, while Tori Suto, Ward and Leonhard each registered a goal of their own. Fisher was able to hold Utica scoreless for nearly 20 minutes during the stretch.
Santucci netted two straight goals, just over three minutes apart in the first 6:34 of the second half to cut UC's deficit to 9-6, but Fisher answered with a goal in the 21st minute to take a four goal advantage right back.
Janet Campo (Centerport, NY/Harborfields) was able to register her sixth goal of the year in the 15th minute, but that was all the scoring Utica would get, as the Pioneers eventually lost by four, 11-7.
Banker picked up a team-best four ground balls for the Pioneers, while
Meghan Olesen (Franklin, MA/Franklin),
Jennifer Rogaski (Schenectady, NY/Colonie Central) and
Lauren Gilmore (Marshfield, MA/Marshfield) each caused two turnovers. Senior goalie
Shelby Barbay (Waterloo, NY/Waterloo) stopped six shots in net for the Pioneers before being relieved by junior
Stephanie Belanger (Lewiston, ME/Lewiston) with 28:42 left in regulation.
Leonhard added a game-high five draw controls, while Fisher's Lindsey Shoales totaled five ground balls and four draw controls.
UC returns to the turf on Saturday when they take on Nazareth College in a conference match-up at 1 p.m.
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