FINAL STATS
Staten Island, NY – Three goals from freshman
Melanie Garces (San Diego, CA/Westview) were not enough as the Wagner College women's lacrosse team dropped its home opener to the Saint Joseph's Hawks on Saturday. The Green and White fought to a 7-5 halftime score, but a 7-1 second-half run by Saint Joseph's carried the Hawks to victory.
Wagner falls to 0-2, while the win improved Saint Joseph's record to 3-1 overall.
A back-and-forth affair for the opening minutes started with Wagner's senior
Kelly Blundin (Plymouth Meetin, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) scoring on the team's first shot of the game. After a Hawks' goal, Garces helped the Seahawks regain the lead with her first collegiate score on a free position shot. Two more markers from Saint Joseph's were answered by freshman
Carolyn Clark (Syracuse, NY/Westhill), who tied the score at 3-3 midway through the half.
Consecuitve goals from Saint Joseph's Abby Renninger and Jenna Martino's second tally lifted the visiting Hawks to a 6-3 lead with under ten minutes to play.
An unassisted goal from senior co-captain
Jessica Richmond (Jenkintown, PA/Jenkintown) followed by another free position strike from Garces helped Wagner pull the game within two goals, 7-5, at halftime.
Two goals from Clark and Blundin were all the Seahawks' could managing against a swarming Saint Joseph's team that outscored Wagner 9-3 in the second half. A 7-1 stretch consumed nearly 12 minutes off the game clock before Garces' third unassisted marker with 34 seconds remaining.
A last-second goal from Saint Joseph's Martino capped the 16-8 defeat. Martino was the game's leading scorer with five goals and an assist for six total points. Garces led the Seahawks with three total points. Blundin, Clark, and Richmond each finished with two total points. Sophomore attack
Janine Bright (Commack, NY/commack) registered an assist for one point, as well.
Wagner's junior goalkeeper
Alex Johnston (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) collected 16 saves in net at the Seahawks were outshot on goal, 33-14. The Seahawks defense converted eight of the 13 clears attempted and caused 10 turnovers.
The Seahawks return to action on Wednesday, March 4th when they host Columbia University in their third regular season contest. Game time is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
