The women’s lacrosse team beat in-state rival Central Connecticut, 20-4, in a Northeast Conference matchup Sunday afternoon at the Quinnipiac Field Hockey & Lacrosse Turf Field. Senior captain Katie Latonick led the Bobcats (2-4, 2-0 NEC) with a season-best eight points (four goals and four assists).
Central Connecticut’s Mackenzy Ryan got the Blue Devils (2-4, 0-3 NEC) on the board first, scoring two straight goals after five and a half minutes of play. The 2-0 advantage was the Blue Devils’ only lead of the game.
Junior Laura Iannotti scored three consecutive goals in 1:20 of play to give the Bobcats a one-goal lead. The Bobcats scored five more goals after Iannotti’s hat trick. Sophomores Devon Gibney and Marissa Caroleo each added goals in the 8-0 run while Latonick scored from a free-position shot. Freshman Sarah Allen scored two goals in the run as well.
“It was great to see that when we gave some of the younger players opportunities to play, there was no let down,” Quinnipiac head coach Danie Caro said.
The Blue Devils scored two quick goals to trim the lead to 8-4, but the Bobcats answered with five more before the break to take a 13-4 lead.
Quinnipiac scored seven more goals during the second half to get a 20-4 victory. Freshman Mary Kate Manganiello scored her first goal on the first shot of her college career, while freshman Jackie Keleher earned her first-career point with an assist and registered her first goal with 2:15 remaining in the game. Sophomore Jane Moldovan picked up the assist on Keleher’s goal. Freshman Kayla Hamberry also picked up her first career point with an assist on senior Kelly Bruneau’s goal.
Junior goalkeeper Lexi DeStefano made three saves in the game before sophomore goalkeeper Noelle Martello saw action in net. Martello did not tally a save, but held Central scoreless in 21 minutes of play. Central Connecticut’s Erin DeLancey finished with 12 saves.
Quinnipiac outshot CCSU, 37-9, in the game and had a 32-15 advantage in ground balls. The Bobcats only committed eight fouls while Central Connecticut had 35 fouls.
The Bobcats will play host to Iona on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Photo credit: Amanda Shulman
