FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Libby Rowe scored three of her four goals on the day in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter, helping push Fairfield University women's lacrosse past Boston University 14-10, as the Stags improve to 3-1 on the season.
"This was just a great team win. To have seven assisted goals and a spread of six different goal scorers is amazing," said Head Coach Laura Field. "What I'm most proud of is our team play: attackers riding and causing turnovers, our defense causing shot clock violations, Casey in goal getting her first career start and first career win. I couldn't be prouder of all of them."
Rowe's four goals came in addition to a pair assists as she finished with six total points on the day, which ties her career-high which she set earlier this season, to lead Fairfield in goals and points. Amanda Kozak was the other player to record a hat trick in the game, ahead of four other goal scorers for the Stags on Wednesday.
Defensively, Nicollette LaVista collected five draw controls to pace the team ahead of four from Rylee Harrell, and three from Kelly Horning, while Rowe led the ground ball totals with three, ahead of four different Stags who corralled two apiece. Casey Collins made her first collegiate start between the pipes, playing all 60 minutes, logging seven saves in the process.
Casey was ready from the minute her number was called and rose to the challenge. She made big saves, she cleared the ball well, she had a commanding voice. Our defense has no fear with her in the cage."
The Terriers broke the scoreless draw just 59 seconds into play, and added another just over a minute later to take a two-goal lead in the opening minutes of the game. Ellie Grefenstette was the first Stag to reach the back of the net a few minutes later, cutting the deficit back to one, before both sides were held off the board for nearly eight minutes. It wasn't until the 3:44 mark of the first quarter that Rowe would score to level the game at two, her first goal of the day and the first of four Fairfield goals in the closing stages of the period to give the home side a 4-2 lead after 15 minutes of action.
Neither side would break onto the scoreboard for nearly three minutes in the second quarter, at which point Kozak scored for the second time in the day, which made it six unanswered goals for the Stags to that point, before BU netted back to back goals to draw within two. Talluto would score a couple minutes later to regain a three-goal advantage, followed up in quick succession by Kozak who scored just 39 seconds later to complete the first hat-trick of the day for either side. The Terriers would score three-straight in the latter third of the period, leaving Fairfield with just a one-goal lead at the halftime stoppage.
Out of the break, the defenses would take a stand, as the Terriers held the Stags to just two goals in the frame, while the Fairfield kept their counterparts off the board for the entire duration of the quarter. Talluto and Harrell would be the two players to reach the back of the net in the third at the 10:26 and 6:19 marks, respectively, giving the Stags a three-goal lead heading into the fourth.
Boston would open the scoring in the final quarter of regulation, finding the back of the net three times, before a goal by Horning and two straight from Rowe would rebuild a three-goal advantage for Fairfield. A late yellow card and a strong defensive stand would seal the deal for the Stags, who tacked on one more goal from Rowe with 25 seconds left iced the game, as Fairfield took down Boston University for the first time in the all-time series between the two sides.
Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action Saturday, when they kick off a three-game road trip at Hofstra. Opening draw between the Stags and the Pride is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. from Hempstead, N.Y.
