NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team started the 2023 campaign with a bang, routing Keene State 18-2 on Sunday afternoon at Silfen Field. 

Senior Hailey Fahey (Norwich, Vt.) led the Camels with three goals in a balanced attack offensively, which featured scores from 11 different Conn players. Sophomore Aine Downey (Brookline, Mass.) tallied six assists and a pair of goals for a game-high eight points. 

The Camels started the game fast and never looked back. Just over two minutes into the contest, sophomore Greta Panke (Milldale, Conn.) scored the first goal of the season after Downey connected with Panke who was cutting toward the crease. Panke took the quick shot to give the Camels the 1-0 lead early on. 

After winning the ensuing draw control, the hosts immediately marched down the field and set up another scoring opportunity. Downey attempted a shot from three yards out, and after her initial try was blocked, the sophomore picked up the loose ball and fired a second shot that found the back of the net. 

Fahey picked up her first goal off another assist from Downey to give the Camels a 3-0 lead just four minutes into the game. At the 10:02 mark, Emily Yorns (Longmeadow, Mass.) was able to tally her first score after taking the ball from about 10 yards out, slicing through a slew of Owls defenders, and putting a shot on net, beating goaltender Sarah Howe. 

Then, first year Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) scored her first collegiate goal on an eight-meter shot to give the Camels a 5-0 lead. 

Keene State finally got on the scoreboard with just over four minutes left in the first on a goal by Mindy St. Marie to slightly reduce the deficit, but Coughlin answered with a score of her own on the following possession to push the lead back up to five. 

With just under one minute to go, Fahey capped off a huge offensive opening quarter for the Camels, scoring with the player-advantage. Conn would carry a 7-1 lead heading into the next stanza.

The Camels added six more goals in the second quarter, while only allowing one. Emily O'Rourke (Concord, Mass.) started the scoring spree with a free-position goal. Julianna Ingrassia (Garden City, N.Y.) and Panke followed up with scores of their own to balloon the lead to 10-1.

The Owls stopped the run with their second and final goal of the game at the 8:37 mark, but the Camels'  continued the relentless attack scoring three more times in the quarter to truly put the game well out of reach before halftime. Elizabeth Gill (Hingham, Mass.) and Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) tallied their first collegiate goals, while Downey scored her second of the game. Conn led 13-2 heading into halftime.

The Camels outscored the Owls 5-0 over the remaining 30 minutes. Caroline Bruce (Acton, Mass.) scored twice, while Janet Howard (Madison, Conn.), Johnston and Fahey recorded the other second half goals, resulting in an 18-2 win.

The huge victory marked the first time that the program had won by 16 goals or more since 2016 when the Camels defeated Nichols 20-4. 

Connecticut College (1-0 overall) will be back in action on Wednesday, March 8 at home against Smith College.