Lee Saves 20 In 15-9 Home Loss to Siena

Senior goalkeeper Alice Lee recorded her highest save output of the season, stopping 20, but the Central Connecticut women's lacrosse team was upended 15-9 by Siena on Sunday afternoon. Fellow senior Stephanie John, as well as junior Lyndsey Mastandrea and freshman Ashley Perkoski, scored two goals each as the Blue Devils fell to 0-4 at Arute Stadium. The Saints of Siena improve to 2-1 this season.

With the Blue Devils trailing by only two scores to start the second half, Siena put away four straight goals to build a lead that was too large for CCSU to come back from. Four different Saints helped the cause during the 13 minute stretch of the second period. Courtney Highsmith scored an unassisted goal just over a minute into the second half to make it 10-7 Siena. Ryan Tierney then made it 11-7, scoring of a Deirdre McQuillan assist five minutes later. The Saints' leading scorer Lindsey Rosecrans put away her fourth goal of the game at the 17:41 mark on a pass from Caitlin Mikel. Allie Kain finished off the 4-0 run with an unassisted goal less than a minute later. Central would cut into the lead with a goal each from Mastandrea and John but it wasn't enough. Siena countered with two more to win the game by a score of 15-9.

After a slow first couple of minutes to start the game, the action picked up with six goals during a five minute span to start the game. Siena got on the board first with goals from McQuillan and Mikel, but it was CCSU that put a 4-0 run of their own together to take a 4-2 lead with 21:09 remaining in the first period. Courtney Mooney scored her first goal of the season off an assist from Jessica Roberts to spark the Blue Devil run. A freshman connection ensued as Ashley Mara found Alexa Smead to tie the game 2-2 a minute and a half later. Mastandrea put away her first goal of the afternoon on an unassisted score to take the lead for the Blue Devils. Perkoski ended the run with a free position goal.

Back and forth action continued throughout the first period, with Siena grabbing the lead at 5-4 and not losing it the rest of the game. Siena outshot the Blue Devils by a margin of 41-20. The ground balls were much closer as the Saints recorded 28 to CCSU's 24. John and Mara each tallied five ground balls for the game. Siena dominated Central in draw controls during the first period, with a 13-4 mark. Behind Cara Momnie's five for the game, CCSU won the draw control battle6-3 in the second half.

Lee totaled 20 saves for the game, with 11 coming in the first period. Siena goalkeeper Kristin Concordia stopped 10 shots in the game. Rosecranz led the Saints with four goals, two assists, five ground balls and seven draw controls. McQuillan added three goals and two assists, while Mikel tallied three scores and an assist.

The Blue Devils will next play host to Northeast Conference foe Quinnipiac on Tuesday March 10 at 3:00 p.m. Siena will next take the field on Wednesday March 11 when they host Holy Cross at 4:00 p.m.