WORCESTER, Mass. – Six different players reached the back of the Saturday as the Fairfield University women's lacrosse team took a 18-8 win over Holy Cross to open the 2022 season. Amongst the goal scorers was a trio of Stags that scored four or more goals in the contest, highlighted by five from Libby Rowe, who also added an assist to complete a six-point day.
The other two hat-tricks on the day came courtesy of Elizabeth Talluto and Rylee Harrell who both set new career-highs against the Crusaders, scoring four goals apiece. Ellie Grefenstette notched a pair of goals in the contest, as did Amanda Kozak, who joined Julia Rigolizzo in scoring the first goals of their respective collegiate careers, with Rigolizzo netting a single goal. In the assist column, Kelly Horning dished out a pair of helpers, ahead of a trio of Stags who each tallied one assist on the day.
Defensively, Harrell and Horning each collected two ground balls each, with five other players combining to make up the nine total loose balls gathered by Fairfield in the match. In the center circle Nicole LaVista controlled a team-high six draws, finishing just ahead of Rowe with five. In the cage Phoebe Proctor got the opening day nod in goal, playing the full 60 minutes and making nine saves in the process.
It didn't take long for the Stags to strike, as Harrell scored just 35 seconds into the first quarter of play, the first of back-to-back scores by the visitors in the first three minutes of play. The Crusaders would score two straight to bring the sides back level, before Fairfield was able to counter a pair of their own. Holy Cross would score two goals just over a minute apart from each other, but Talluto's first of the game gave her side a one score advantage after the first 15 minutes of play.
Talluto would open the scoring in the second frame just under five minutes in, sparking a run that would see Fairfield open a four-goal cushion at the midway point in the quarter. Holy Cross put one more on the board, before a three-goal run late provided a 10-5 score line at the break.
Out of the half, the Stags were once again on the attack early, scoring 44 seconds in, and continued to build on their first-half run, netting four more goals to push the lead to double digits. A goal in the final minute for the Crusaders put them down nine heading into the final frame, where Fairfield would open with back-to-back goals to extend the lead once again. One more score from the Stags split a pair of goals by Holy Cross late, as Fairfield opens the year with a win and levels the all-time series with the Crusaders at 10-10.
Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action Wednesday for the 2022 home opener hosting #21 UConn. Opening draw is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.
