Lacrosse Sets Program Record In Wins With 23-17 Victory Over St. Francis (PA)

The Central Connecticut State University lacrosse team broke its single game scoring record for the third time this season as they defeated St. Francis (PA) by a score of 23-17 at home on Friday. The Blue Devils recorded its program-best fifth win of the season as they improved to 5-8 on the year. The Red Flash fall to 6-10 with the defeat. Sophomore Ashley Perkoski led CCSU with five goals in the victory.

Central got out to an early lead, tallying the first three scores of the game. Perkoski and junior Michele Conway connected on unassisted goals before Meaghan McCurry netted a free position score to make it 3-0 less than four minutes into the game. The Blue Devils continued to build its lead to 10-3 with 18:51 to play in the opening half when senior Lyndsey Mastandrea scored her only goal of the game on a free position attempt.

The Red Flash worked their way back into the game, going on a 5-4 run to make it 14-8 with just over two minutes left in the first half. The freshman duo of Mackenzy Ryan and Betsy Vendel got CCSU back on the right track, ending the period when Vendel found Ryan for a score with 48 seconds remaining.

After sophomore Ashley Mara scored an unassisted goal to open the second half, St. Francis (PA) tallied three straight to cut the Blue Devil lead to 16-11 with 18:57 left in the game. Central Connecticut then scored the next five goals to build a double-digit lead that would help the Blue Devils hold the lead for the rest of the way out and finish with the 23-17 victory. Perkoski and Vendel each recorded two goals during the stretch.

Perkoski led Central with five goals, while McCurry finished with four goals, four assists and four draw controls in the victory. Vendel also recorded four goals in the game, adding two assists and team highs of six ground balls and five draw controls.

Conway and Ryan each recorded hat tricks in the contest. The former finished with three goals, one assist and two caused turnovers, while the latter tallied three scores and two draw controls. Mara with two, as well as Mastandrea and senior Courtney Mooney with one each, rounded out the Blue Devil scorers. Sophomore Erin DeLancey finished with 13 saves while playing all 60 minutes in goal for CCSU.

The 23 goals scored by Central broke the school record of 21, which was set earlier this season in a 21-9 victory over Liberty. CCSU first set the mark in a 20-8 win over Howard on March 24 of this season. The 40 total goals scored during the game was also the most in a Blue Devil game. The previous mark was 37 when CCSU fell 24-13 to Mount St. Mary's in 2000.