BOX SCORE

Staten Island, NY – Wagner sophomore midfielder Carolyn Clark (Syracuse, NY/Westhill) tied her career high with four goals but it was not enough as Villanova overcame an early two-goal deficit in posting an 18-10 win over the Seahawks at cold and rainy Wagner College Stadium. 

With the loss, Wagner falls to 1-8 on the season while BIG EAST member Villanova improves to 7-2 on the season. 

Freshman attack Annie O'Connor notched the first goal of the game off a feed from junior attack Karen Vitkus. Junior attack Dana Marchitelli (Annapolis, MD/South River) then gave Wagner a 2-0 lead with an unassisted goal. After Justine Donodeo scored the first of her eight goals to make it a 2-1 game, Clark answered with an unassisted tally to put the Seahawks on top 3-1. With Wagner leading 4-3 following Clark's second goal of the game, Villanova answered with five unanswered goals in moving out to an 8-4 halftime lead. 

A goal by Marchitelli off an assist from sophomore midfielder Melanie Garces (Syracuse, NY/Westview) drew the Seahawks to within striking distance at 9-6 with 27:20 to play in the game. But Donodeo countered with three straight goals in a span of 3:07 which gave the Wildcats a commanding 12-6 lead. 

Garces and Marchitelli scored two goals apiece for the Seahawks while O'Connor and junior Mallory Close (Urbana, MD/Urbana) added one goal each. Shawna Guist scored three goals for the Wildcats while Eric Rybinski and Maria Bowman added two goals each. 

Wagner held an impressive 17-13 edge in draw controls but Villanova outshot the Seahawks 39-27 and led in ground balls 18-12.Wagner committed 18 turnovers while Villanova turned the ball over just 10 times. 

Wagner is next in action on Thursday, April 1 when the Seahawks travel to Central Connecticut St. to meet the Blue Devils in a 4:00 pm contest.