BUFFALO, N.Y. – Brenna Connolly tallied six points, two freshmen posted hat tricks and Paulina DiFatta made 12 saves in the cage as Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse earned a crucial road win at Canisius on Saturday in Buffalo. The 11-8 victory over the defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Champion Golden Griffins pulls the Stags into a first-place tie in the MAAC with one contest remaining.
 
Fairfield moves to 9-6 overall and joins Canisius, Marist, Monmouth and Niagara in a five-way tie atop the conference at 5-2 in MAAC play. The Stags would clinch a share of the MAAC Regular Season Championship with a win on Wednesday evening at Manhattan. Seeding for the upcoming MAAC postseason will be determined by results throughout the league on Wednesday.
 
Connolly's six points came by way of two goals and four assists. With that effort, she pulls even with Kristen Coleman atop the Fairfield record book with 71 career assists. Connolly also extended her program single-season record to 32 assists this spring. Coupled with her 28 goals in 2018, she has posted the ninth 60-point campaign in Fairfield Women's Lacrosse history.
 
The Stags' attack also benefitted from hat tricks for Diana DeVita and Kelly Horning. Both rookies also doled out an assist to post four points apiece on the day. For DeVita, the showing marked her second hat trick and second four-point outing of the year. Horning's performance marked new personal bests for the freshman midfielder in both goals and points. Horning also tabbed the goal that stood up as the game-winner, breaking an 8-8 tie with 12:14 remaining to start the Stags on a 3-0 run to cap the victory.
 
Rounding out the scoring for Fairfield, Taylor Mitchell scored a pair of goals and Kathleen Hulseman netted one.
 
Anchored by DiFatta's 12 saves, the Fairfield defense held Canisius to its lowest scoring output in a MAAC regular season game since the Stags defeated the Griffs, 12-8, on April 10, 2011. The defense in front of the cage included three caused turnovers and five ground balls from Hulseman and a pair of caused turnovers by co-captain Katie FitzPatrick. Megan Beach drew the assignment of marking the MAAC's leading scorer in Jourdan Roemer, who was limited to just one goal by Fairfield's stifling defense.
 
In the midfield, Lily Crager nabbed three draw controls while Erin Mammele and Maggie Reynolds came away with two apiece.
 
Canisius was led on the attack by two goals apiece from Allie Stewart, Jen Reininger and Bryar Cummings. Rebcca VanLaeken made 10 saves for the Griffs.
 
Fairfield's regular season finale at Manhattan is set for a 6 p.m. opening draw on Wednesday, April 25 in Riverdale, N.Y.

Visit FairfieldStags.com for all of the latest information on the Stags' upcoming MAAC postseason appearance as it is finalized by the conference office.