HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team picked up their third consecutive win in dominant fashion, defeating Eastern Connecticut State 20-6 on Monday morning in game one from Hilton Head. With the win, Conn improves to 4-2, while Eastern falls to 5-1.
Eastern won the opening draw and converted the early possession into a goal, as the Warriors led 1-0 just 51 seconds in. Conn answered however, 1:10 later, as Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) found Emma Ognibene (New Canaan, Conn.) to even the score. The Camels then got three straight unassisted markers as Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.), Aine Downey (Brookline, Mass.), and Coughlin all found the back of the net to make it 4-1 at 4:24. Johnston and Downey added another goal each, as Conn led 6-1 after one.
Hannah Merritt (Cheshire, Conn.) opened the second quarter with a coast-to-coast goal, before Downey completed her hat trick to make it 8-1 at 13:36. Eastern ended the run at 12:34, but Ognibene added back-to-back markers to push the lead to 10-2. The Warriors answered back with two straight goals to make it 10-4. Conn ended the quarter on a 4-0 run with two goals from Downey, and a goal each from Coughlin and Ognibene to put the Camels in front 14-4 at the break.
Downey tallied her sixth goal of the game early in the third quarter, before Caroline Bruce (Acton, Mass.) and Coughlin pushed the advantage to 17-4. Eastern ended the frame with back-to-back markers as the Camels remained in front 17-6 heading to the fourth.
Conn scored the only three goals of the final period. Downey added two more in the frame, to push the Conn edge to 19-6. Coughlin chipped in one more goal on a behind-the-back free-position shot with 3:41 to play, as Conn earned the 20-6 win.
Conn outshot Eastern 36-16, while holding a 17-13 edge on draw controls.
Ava Virga (Watertown, N.Y.) picked up the win in the cage, recording three saves. Downey paced the Camels with a career-high nine points on a career-best eight goals and one assist. Coughlin added six points on four goals and two assists, as Ognibene chipped in four goals, and Johnston notching two goals and one assist. Bruce and Merritt both tallied one goal, while Greta Panke (Milldale, Conn.) and Sydney Weber (Hanover, Mass.) each chipped in one assist. Conn forced nine turnovers, with Brogan Holbrough (Rochester, N.Y.) forcing a team-high four. Panke led the Camels with six draw controls, while Weber added five.
Maizie Rukat got the start in goal, finishing with seven saves. Three Warriors tallied multiple points, with Kaylee Drobish, Avonlea LeBeau, and Abby Parisi each recording two points.
Conn returns to action on Wednesday, as the Camels play their second game in Hilton Head, S.C. against University of New England at 12:30 p.m.
