CASTLETON, Vt. -- Junior midfielder
Caroline Stent (Weatogue) scored four of her career-high eight goals in the first 11 minutes and finished one point shy of the program record for points in a match as the Warriors routed Castleton University, 18-6 in a downpour Saturday afternoon at Dave Wolk Stadium.
Behind Stent, Eastern (7-4, 2-2 LEC) raced to a 9-1 lead in the game's first 12 minute to post its sixth road victory in eight tries this year, defeating Castleton (1-10, 0-3 LEC) for the eighth straight time in the series.
Stent's goal total equals the sixth-highest in a match in program history and with three assists, equaled the second-most points (11) in a match in program history. Eastern Alumni Hall of Famer Mo Deegan holds the record of 12 points set 19 years ago against Rhode Island College. Deegan also scored 11 against the University of Southern Maine 17 years ago. Stent's final goal made her the 31
st player in program history to reach 40 in a season. In 26 career games, Stent has 96 goals – four shy of becoming the 20
th 100-goal scorer in program history -- and 31 assists for 127 points.
Little East assist leader
Shay Ventresca (Oakdale) recorded five for the second straight game and for the third time this year, giving her 27 this year (ninth most in a season). Stent also had seven ground balls and caused six turnovers with a career-high 11 draws and first-year attack
Kaylea McCourt (Colchester) added eight ground balls. Stent has 68 draws this year, one shy of last year's career-high of 69, which is the eighth-most in a season.
Junior attack
Jessica Pyrek-Bennett (Monroe) matched Ventresca with five points, which came on three goals and two assists. The goals moved her to within one of 50 in her two-year career.
Making her third straight start in place of injured junior starter
Sarah Gallagher (South Windsor), first-year player
Emma Alford (West Hartford) needed only one save to record her second straight win in three decisions this year.
Eastern hosts Western New England University Thursday at 4 p.m. in the final non-conference match of the year before the Warriors visit Massachusetts Dartmouth and Western Connecticut State University and host Plymouth State University April 30 on Senior Day at 1 p.m. Plymouth and WestConn are both unbeaten in three conference matches while UMass Dartmouth is 0-2.
The Warriors and WNE will be meeting for the first time since 2007, with Eastern holding a 6-2 advantage in the series.
