POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – A back and forth first half saw Fairfield University women's lacrosse take a slim lead into halftime, but a strong third quarter proved the difference as the Stags took down Marist 20-12 Saturday afternoon.
The Fairfield offense was paced by Ellie Grefenstette who tallied a career-high eight points, splitting that total evenly in goals and assists, leading the team in those categories as well. Grefenstette led a group of five Stags who netted a hat trick or better in the match, including three players who also tallied and assist. Maggie Fort scored a pair of goals, while also dishing out two helpers for four total points on the day.
Defensively, Fort joined Libby Rowe and co-captain Kelly Horning collected a team-high four ground balls each, just ahead of Lindsey Barnes with three. Barnes led the team in caused turnovers, forcing three, one better than Macey Daly with two. Casey Collins and Olivia Conquest once again split time in the cage with Conquest making six saves and Collins making three.
It took just 22 seconds for Marist to break the scoreless draw, and would maintain that advantage for nearly three minutes before a goal by Harrell put the Stags on the board. The Red Foxes would then score three times in less than a minute to take a three-goal lead. Grefenstette would get one back for the Stags, but the home side would tack on two more, separated by a Doody score, putting Fairfield down by three at the end of the first.
The Stags would use a woman-up advantage early in the second to take add one goal back, and added a second from Horning a handful of minutes later, to cut the deficit to one with exactly eight minutes to play in the half. Marist would then score to reestablish a two-goal lead, but it took just 30 seconds for Fairfield to counter with a goal from Rowe. After the Red Foxes scored once again, the Stags struck three times in the final four minutes of the quarter to flip the script on their opponent, taking a one score lead into halftime.
Fairfield would extend its scoring run out of the break, netting the first three goals of the frame, including a pair of goals by Grefenstette to establish a four-goal lead five minutes into the third. Marist would get one back before the Stags took control of the period scoring the last seven goals of the quarter, all in the final eight minutes to push the game into running time heading into the fourth, with the visitors up big, 19-9.
Ariana Lavelle made it 20-9 for the Stags in the fourth quarter, scoring two minutes into the period, the final shot to reach the back of the net in a low scoring affair in the final 15 minutes. Marist would score the final three goals of the contest, setting the final difference at 20-12 for the Stags, who improve to 7-3 this season, and 2-0 in the MAAC.
Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action Wednesday when they make the short trip up the coast to take on in-state rival Quinnipiac. Opening draw between the Stags and the Bobcats is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from the Quinnipiac Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium in Hamden.
