Golden Bears drop Seahawks

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Senior tri-captain Jessica Scannapieco led all student-athletes with six assists, nine points and 15 draw controls, classmate Kaitlynn Stevens pumped in a game-high five goals, and the Western New England University women's lacrosse team used a fast start to dismantle Salve Regina University, 20-9, in Commonwealth Coast Conference action at Golden Bear Stadium on Wednesday. The host Golden Bears won their 10th in a row to improve to 10-1 on the season, including 4-0 in the CCC. Salve Regina falls to 3-7 overall and 1-4 in the conference.

Sarah Woods (East Lyme, Conn.) (3 goals, 1 assist) and Gina Tortorici (Deer Park, N.Y.) (2 goals, 2 assists) both led the Seahawks with four points.

Western New England's possession game in the early going was impressive, winning the game's first seven draw controls en route to a 6-1 cushion. Stevens earned the opening draw control and made a pass to junior Tori Cirocco (3 goals, 1 assist, game-best 7 ground balls) who fed Scannapieco for the first goal just 16 seconds in. Stevens, junior Brooke Kumnick (2 goals) and classmate Ashley Brunner (1 assist) also found the back of the cage before the Golden Bears allowed SRU past midfield by the 26:49 mark.

Tortorici put the Seahawks on the scoreboard with 23 minutes and 44 seconds remaining but Stevens countered 10 seconds later to make it 4-1. Western New England never trailed and went into the halftime break with a commanding 16-4 advantage.

In the second half, freshman goalie Shannon McFadden made a career-high seven saves in the WNE cage. Cirocco, freshmen Julia Winer, Rachel Canning, and junior Emma Norden scored for the Golden Bears.

Tallying goals for Salve over the final 30 minutes were Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.), Woods with two, Brianna Wilcox (Somers, Conn.) and Bridget Bohan (Nashua, N.H.).

Stevens added two assists to finish with seven points on the afternoon.

Western New England is on the road Saturday to tangle with CCC foe Curry College in Milton, starting at 3:30 p.m. The Seahawks return to action on Saturday April 11 as they travel to play the University of New England.