NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Junior Meghan Smith (Pittsford, N.Y.) erupted for a career-high nine goals to lead the Saint Anselm College women's lacrosse team to a 23-6 victory against Southern Connecticut State University on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Jess Dow Field.
The Hawks win back-to-back games for the first time all season and improve to 4-8, including 4-6 in Northeast-10 play, while the Owls fall to 0-13, 0-11 NE-10.
Smith netted five of Saint Anselm's first six goals, including three straight to open the game, as the Hawks led 6-1 with 17:23 remaining in the opening half. Smith scored again to make it 8-2 before sophomore Carrie Brophy (Mansfield, Mass.) and junior Shawna Walsh (Woburn, Mass.) each registered their second goal of the day to open up an eight-goal lead for the Hawks.
Freshman Sarah Paladino (North Reading, Mass.) and senior Leigh Krzyston (Bedford, N.H.) each tacked on a goal before freshman Taylor Laro (Concord, N.H.) netted the first of her career to make it 13-2. Southern Connecticut tallied the final three scores of the half to head into the break trailing, 13-5. Smith was outscoring the Owls, 6-5, at the half.
Smith opened the second half with a free position goal just 2:52 in. The free position tally was Smith's 12th of the season, which matched Lauren Glancy's program record that was set in 2007. Smith scored again at the 21:24 mark to give Saint Anselm a 10-goal lead before sophomore Bryanna Hayes (Mansfield, Mass.) and Laro scored to make it 17-5. Smith buried her final goal of the day with 15:22 to play before Krzyston and Paladino opened it up to 20-5.
Sophomore Lauren Alfis (Hanover, N.H.) followed the Owls' only goal of the half with her first of the day. Freshman Eliza Jalbert (Providence, R.I.) and junior Mikaela Ferguson (Hopkinton, Mass.) closed the scoring with the first goals of their careers.
Senior goalkeeper Katherine O'Hara (Norwell, Mass.) made four saves in 43 minutes of action, while freshman Katherine Amato (Bedford, N.H.) stopped two shots in the remaining 17 minutes. Southern Connecticut goalkeeper Jessica Shaw stopped six shots in just under 43 minutes of action before Colleen Gore recorded two saves in relief.
The Hawks outshot the Owls, 40-16, including 25-7 in the opening half, and also held a 19-12 advantage in draw controls, including 14-5 in the first half. Saint Anselm was 3-for-6 on its free-position opportunities, while Southern Connecticut was 1-for-4.
The Hawks return to action Tuesday, April 26 at 7 p.m. when they travel to take on Bentley University.
