Women's Lacrosse Picks Up Home NEC Victory Over LIU Brooklyn
Blue Devils now 1-1 in league play this season
The Central Connecticut women's lacrosse team used six goals from senior Marissa Soto and 12 saves from sophomore goalkeeper Jackie Branthover to come away with a 13-12 home Northeast Conference win over LIU Brooklyn on Sunday. The win moves the Blue Devils to 1-1 in league play on the year. With the loss the Blackbirds are 0-2 in league play.
Soto's sixth and final goal came with 1:53 on the clock and broke a 12-12 tie. Freshman Megan Szawlowski assisted on the goal, her third of the day, as the Blue Devils withstood a second half comeback from the Blackbirds to earn their first league win of the season.
The Blue Devils led 10-3 at halftime before the Blackbirds scored the first five goals of the second half to cut the lead to 10-8. Senior Marissa Cotroneo scored her first goal of the year for the Blue Devils with 20:44 to play to push the lead back to 11-8.
The Blackbirds would answer and score four of the next five goals to tie the game 12-12 with 6:39 to play.
Soto's sixth and final goal was the difference and some key stops from Branthover helped secure the victory.
Branthover finished the game with 12 saves, marking her seventh double-figure save performance of the season. She had seven in the second half including a key stop on a free position shot in the closing minutes.
Szawlowski had four goals and three assists for the Blue Devils in the victory. She added an impressive eight draw controls on the day. Soto added an assist to her six goals. Cotroneo scored once, as did senior Jessica Giangarra and freshman Morgan Sinton.
The win pushes CCSU's league record to 1-1 on the year. They'll be back in action at Bryant on Apr. 14 at 4 p.m.
