FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Led by a career-high six goals from both Riley Hellstein and Alex Fehmel, the Fairfield University women's lacrosse team topped LIU Brooklyn 16-10 in the season opener on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.
The Stags came out swinging, jumping out to a 5-0 lead just four minutes into the game. The first four goals each came from a different player with Maeve Quinn, Hellstein, Fehmel, and Julieanne Mascera each tallying their first points of the season.
The visiting Blackbirds would get on the board with an unassisted goal by Jenn Peters, who had four in the season opener. LIU would score once more just four minutes later to bring the score to 5-2, off a free position by Carlie Robinson.
Fehmel would stop the scoring streak with two straight goals of her own at 20:06 and 10:31. The first came off a pass from Quinn and the second was a free position shot. The Stags would hold at seven goals until the 3:35 mark when Mascera tallied her second of the day with an assist from Fehmel.
One more goal for LIU Brooklyn by Sierra O'Connor made the halftime score 8-5 in favor of the home side.
Fairfield again wasted no time in the second period tallying three straight goals in the opening five minutes. Hellstein recorded her third and fourth on the day while Fehmel added her fourth to bring the score to 11-5.
LIU Brooklyn answered with three of their own, but that is as close as the score would get during the afternoon. After a Brenna Connolly finish from Quinn, Hellstein and Fehmel would each add two more scores to bring their totals to six apiece and the game score to 16-8 with under three minutes to play.
The blackbirds never quit, adding two more goals from Tori Shinkwitz and Peters before the final whistle sounded.
Said Head Coach Laura Field on the win, "we were pleased with the outcome of today's game in tough conditions. While we need to clean up some of the unforced errors across the board, Riley Hellstein and Alex Fehmel did a great job of pacing the offense and Colleen Reyonlds was tremendous off the draw giving us possessions that we needed."
Preseason All-MAAC selection Chelsey Sidaras got the nod in net and made 10 saves in the opener. The opposition had two net minders on the day with Alexis Maldonado earning the start and Virginia Gibbons coming in relief. The latter made all nine saves for the Blackbirds.
Leading the way on offense for the Stags was Fehmel with a career high seven points (six goals, one assist). Second was Hellstein also with a career high in points (six) off six goals, in addition the junior led the team grabbing eight draw controls on the afternoon, tying the Fairfield single-game record. Senior Colleen Reynolds took the majority of draws and collected five of her own while adding one ground ball.
Fairfield will have the week off as they prepare for Boston University when they host the Terriers next Saturday at 3:00 pm.
