FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After a 12-day layoff from competition, Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse returned to action this afternoon on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium for a visit from crosstown foe Sacred Heart. Led by four goals from Kathleen Hulseman and a three-goal, three-assist outing by Brooke Gallagher, the Stags held off a late charge from the Pioneers to take a 12-11 decision.
 
With the win, Fairfield closes out the non-conference portion of the 2019 schedule with a record of 5-3.
 
Hulseman's four goals marked season highs in both points and goals for the senior, who also scooped up four ground balls with a pair of caused turnovers. Her final goal of the day stood up as the game-winner. Gallagher's six-point day extended her team-leading total to 30 points this spring. She will enter MAAC play ranked second in the conference with 2.00 assists per game and slotted third with 4.29 points per outing.
 
Fairfield also got a pair of goals from Diana DeVita in a span of 37 seconds early in the second half. DeVita's goals staked the Stags to a 10-3 lead with 23:15 to play, as Fairfield's advantage proved insurmountable despite the Pioneers netting eight of the game's final 10 goals.
 
Single tallies from Jillian Winwood, Meaghan Graham and Cameryn Dera rounded out the offense on the afternoon. Winwood and Graham also dished out one assist apiece.
 
Doing her part to keep the Stags on the attack was Erin Mammele, who hauled in a team-leading 10 draw controls. The mark was one shy of her own program record of 11, attained in back-to-back games last spring. Mammele's effort was the fourth 10-draw outing of her career. She is the only Stag to ever record 10 draw controls in a game.
 
Caroline Mangan also collected three draw controls, including the game's final draw with 30 seconds to play after Sacred Heart had cut the deficit to 12-11. The Stags would not relinquish possession after Mangan's win as time expired on the one-goal triumph.
 
Olivia Conquest's seven-save outing was punctuated with two stops in the closing minutes, keeping Sacred Heart at a distance with the clock winding down. Conquest, who has played all 480 minutes in the cage for the Stags, earned the fifth win of her rookie campaign.
 
Sacred Heart (1-6) was led by four goals and an assist from Lydia Werlau, who also pulled down four draw controls for the Pioneers. Hanna Wise added a hat trick for the visitors, and Shana Hecht made 11 saves in goal.
 
Fairfield kicks off the conference portion of the 2019 season against another in-state foe as the Stags travel to Quinnipiac on Wednesday, March 27 for a 3 p.m. contest. The 3-5 Bobcats will visit Marist to begin their MAAC slate on Saturday prior to hosting the Stags.
 
The Stags will also make the trip to Western New York to meet Niagara on Saturday, March 30 before returning to Rafferty Stadium to host Manhattan on Wednesday, April 3.