HAINES CITY, Fla. -- The Eastern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team has put up big scoring numbers in two years under head coach Dee Stephan, but the defense has not taken a backseat to its offensive counterpart.
 

Monday, Eastern (3-0) equalled its best start in program history -- which it established last season under Stephan -- by forcing 27 turnovers and holding SUNY Canton off the scoreboard for 16+ minutes when it pulled away for a 20-7 victory at the Feltrim Sports Complex.
 

While junior midfielder Caroline Stent (Weatogue) -- last year's Little East Conference scoring leader (56-18-74) -- was among five Eastern players with multiple points against Canton (3-2), she won eight more draws to give her a team-high 20 this year and 89 in 18 career games (4.9 per match).
 

Leading 5-2, the Warriors ran off eight unanswered goals -- keeping the Roos from scoring for more than 16 minutes in that stretch -- to move out to a 13-2 lead. In building a 7-2 lead after one quarter, Eastern got goals from six different players and points from seven different players.
 

Junior attack Shay Ventresca (Oakdale) led Eastern with six goals and two assists (giving her a team-high ten assists this year), with team scoring leader Chloe Miller (Avon) scoring four times to improve her team-leading total to 12, with Stent adding three goals and two assists, with her eight draws representing half of Eastern's total in the game. 
 

First-year midfielders Abby Parisi (Fairfield) and Claire Riccitelli-Pestana (Wallingford) were credited with their first career goals, Riccitelli-Pestana with five minutes left in the first half and Parisi inside the final two minutes of the match.

Junior goalie Sarah Gallagher (South Windsor) improved her record to 3-0 by making three saves over the first half and departing with a 13-3 lead. First-year goalies Madeline Horkey (Montville) and Emma Alford (West Hartford) split the second half, combining for three saves.

Junior co-captaini Samantha Daytec, who scored 21 goals in her first four games, led the Roos with four goals. 

Eastern faces Carroll University Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Haines City. The Pioneers (4-1) have won four straight, allowing only 12 goals in those four victories.