NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Senior captain Courtney Chmil and sophomore Alex Fehmel both recorded a hat trick as Fairfield University women's lacrosse defeated Central Connecticut State University, 13-9, in their second road contest at Arute Field. The win was a group effort with Julieanne Mascera scoring two goals for the Stags, who also received goals from Jenna Fuchs, Colleen Reynolds, Riley Smith, Riley Hellstein, and Scarlett Sulliman.
Fairfield got on the board early, with Chmil netting the first goal of the game just 21 seconds in. The Stags struck early with a 4-0 run, over the next four and half minutes, to quickly expand the lead to 5-0. The first goal of the run was netted by Fehmel, off a pass from Reynolds, at 27:37. Fehmel had the assist on the following goal, which was scored by Hellstein, at 25:26. Chmil netted the last two goals of the run, one off a feed from Jamie Leone and the other off a free position shot. The goals were scored at 24:24 and 23:08 respectively.
It was not until 17:25 that Central Connecticut State's Alexandra Hooker put the Blue Devils on the board. Fairfield answered with another set of back-to-back goals by Mascera and Reynolds, off of free position shots. Neither team was able to score for the next ten and a half minutes until Central Connecticut State's Elyse Malecki scored at 3:04, to make the score 7-2. Play continued until Smith found the back of the net, off a pass from Fehmel, with 17 seconds left in the half. Sulliman netted a goal, off a feed from Chmil, with just one second left, giving Fairfield a 9-2 advantage into halftime.
The second half started much like the first, with Fehmel scoring the first goal at 27:01. About two minutes later, Central Connecticut State answered with a goal from Madison Hughes, off a pass from Brigit Hogan, to make the score 10-3. Mascera scored next, off a feed from Kelly Camardo, before the Blue Devils' Falynn McCartney netted back-to-back goals at 23:30 and 21:42 respectively.
The Stags responded with their own set of consecutive goals at 20:29 and 19:35. The first goal was scored by Fuchs and was assisted by Brenna Connolly while the second was netted by Fehmel and was assisted by Camardo. Play continued until Central Connecticut States' Marissa Soto scored at 10:26. Over the remaining ten and a half minutes the Blue Devils went on a 3-0 run but were unable to catch the Stags, yielding a 13-9 victory for Fairfield.
Fairfield slightly outshot Central Connecticut State, 28-22, and had a 21-18 advantage in ground balls. Junior Chelsey Sidaras and sophomore Caleigh O'Connor were charged with keeping the ball out of the net for the Stags. Sidaras tallied nine saves while O'Connor recorded two on the day.
Fairfield women's lacrosse (4-2) will bring action home to Rafferty Stadium. The Stags will host UConn on Wednesday, March 18 at 3:00 p.m. before opening Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play at home against Manhattan on Saturday, March 21 at 2:00 p.m. The contest against Manhattan will be part of a lacrosse doubleheader celebrating Dedication Day of newly constructed Rafferty Stadium.
