Box Score
CASTLETON, Vt. – A seven-goal scoring run by the Eastern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team proved too much for the VTSU Castleton Spartans, as the Warriors pulled away with a 17-5 victory, Saturday afternoon at Dave Wolk Stadium in the Little East Conference regular-season finale.
Led by senior Alexa Vizzini (Vernon, NJ), who tallied four goals, one assist, four ground balls, and two caused turnovers, and sophomore Hannah Seltzer (Westerly, RI), who followed with three goals, three groundballs, and equal CTs, the Warriors claimed victory in their last regular season meeting while handing VTSU Castlton their sixth conference loss of the season in the overpowering road victory.
Already assured of the No. 3 playoff seed and a first-round home match, the Warriors host No. 6 seed Keene State College (7-10, 4-4 LEC) Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Rick McCarthy FIeld. Keene concluded the regular season in a three-way tie for fourth place. Eastern has won the last two meetings with the Owls, April 15 at home by a 13-12 score and in the first round of last year's LEC playoffs, 15-9, at the Owl Athletic Complex.
The win was Eastern's 12th without a loss against Castleton since the start of the series in 1997.
Game Information:
- Score: Eastern Connecticut State University 17, VTSU Castleton 5
- Records: Eastern (8-7) (LEC 6-2), VTSU Castleton (6-10) (LEC 2-6)
- Location: Castleton, Vermont. | (Dave Wolk Stadium)
How It Happened:
The Warriors found themselves primarily powered by Vizzini, who took a game-high of 13 shots on her four goals, and to start the action for the Warriors, her assist to Ella Huard (Southington) was responsible for the first goal of the competition, which sparked a five-goal run for Eastern Connecticut as Jenna Mahoney (North Reading, MA), Molly Page (Waterford), and Seltzer all followed in suit to create an early 5-2 lead for Castleton.
On the momentum, Eastern shut out Castleton considerably in the second quarter, scoring seven goals to the Spartans' one, which sealed Castleton's fate as the early, tameable, deficit widened to a ten-goal difference. The cause primarily fell on the host's numerous and untimely turnovers, tallying seven, which denied them any admission into the attacking third.
The third quarter featured less action then the pervious as Eastern only continued to stretch its lead with a quick three-goal burst from leader, Vizzini, contributors Emma Oliano (Wallingford), and Thea O'Connor (Rocky Hill), to these, the Sparatan's had no response, finishing their empty quarter 16-3 entering the fourth which featured only three more tallies, spilt by the Warriors and Spartans 1-2, Eastern's from Riley Cole (North Branford) for a final score of 17-5.
In the win, defensively, Eastern totaled 24 ground balls and forced 15 turnovers while out-shooting the Spartans 37-15 (23 SOG). Maizie Rukat (Peru, VT) and Kasi DaCruz (Suffield) spent equal time in the net, combining for six saves. Rukat (2), DaZruz (4)
With 54 goals on the season, Vizzini exceeded the 50-goal plateau for the third straight year, netting her second-highest in a season behind last year's total of 63.
