FAIRFIELD, Conn. – In a showdown of two teams looking to keep pace atop the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse was edged by visiting Marist, 11-10, on Senior Day on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium. Brenna Connolly and Brooke Gallagher each tallied hat tricks in their final regular season home contest with the Stags.
 
With the loss, Fairfield falls to 3-2 in the MAAC as a part of a 7-6 overall mark. The loss is the fifth one-goal defeat for the Stags this spring. Marist improves to 8-5 and bounces back from its first conference loss to move to 4-1 in MAAC play.
 
In addition to hat tricks for Connolly and Gallagher, Kathleen Hulseman and Taylor Mitchell got into the act with two goals apiece. Connolly also distributed two assists, while Maggie Reynolds, Olivia Russell and Jillian Winwood each dished out one helper. Reynolds' assist was the first point of her career.
 
With her pair of assists, Connolly now stands sixth in the Stags' single-season record book with a team-leading 24 helpers this spring. On the career charts, she slots at second all-time with 63 assists, eight shy of Kristen Coleman's program mark of 71.
 
Another change in the record book came in the midfield today, where Erin Mammele snagged her 87th and 88th draw controls of the season. The junior, who already owns the Fairfield career record (182), surpassed her own single-season record with today's effort.
 
Paulina DiFatta turned in one of the best outings of her rookie campaign this afternoon with 16 saves, including 10 in the second half, and also vacated the crease to grab five ground balls. In front of the cage, Mammele had three caused turnovers to lead the defense, while Reynolds and Megan Beach each collected three ground balls.
 
Samantha Mehalick led the Marist attack with five goals, and Kelly George added two scores as well as three assists. Morgan Jaycox also dished out a trio of assists. Delaney Galvin did her part in the duel with DiFatta, as she made 18 saves in the cage for the Red Foxes.
 
The game raced out to a 2-1 Marist edge after less than four minutes of play, but a 13-minute scoreless stretch followed as the goalkeepers and defenses traded saves and stops. Free-position shots from Hulseman and Connolly ended the drought and started the Stags on a 4-1 run with Mitchell and Gallagher also getting into the act to build the 5-3 Fairfield lead. Marist struck last in the frame as the Stags took a 5-4 lead into the locker room.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Connolly buried a pair of unassisted goals to extend the lead to 7-4. However, the Stags were held off the board for the next 17:02 of action as Marist poured in the next five markers to take a 9-7 advantage. At that juncture, Gallagher completed her hat trick off a feed from Russell, and Hulseman dodged her way to an unassisted marker to knot the contest at 9-9 with 7:52 remaining.
 
Marist ended the stalemate just 55 seconds later on a free position shot from Lauren Mazza,, and Mehalick tacked one on to extend the Red Foxes' advantage to 11-9. Mitchell scored with 2:24 left to close the gap for the Stags, but Fairfield was unable to cash in on a pair of final possessions as Marist ran out the clock on an 11-10 decision.
 
The Stags will conclude the regular season with a three-game road swing beginning this Wednesday, April 18 at Iona. Opening draw is set for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Fairfield will also visit Canisius and Manhattan looking to secure their 13th consecutive trip to the upcoming MAAC Championship.