STATEN ISLAND, NY- The Iona College lacrosse team defeated Wagner 11-10 in nail-biting fashion Wednesday afternoon at Hameline Field. With the win, the Gaels improve to 4-4 on the season.
Junior Mary Kate McCormick led the way for Iona with four goals and one assist, bringing her season total to 15 goals and 17 assists, which leads the team. Sophomore Erin Pugh put three more in the back of the net, bringing her season total to 24. Junior Casey Palmer was the lead facilitator for the Maroon & Gold, dishing out four assists. Senior Meghan Testoni added two goals and an assist in the Iona victory. Senior Goalkeeper Blaire Nathanson stopped 11 shots en-route to her fourth victory of the 2015 campaign.
The first fifteen minutes of the game went back and forth, with the Gaels opening up a 2-0 lead before allowing two Seahawk goals to even things up halfway through the first period. Pugh and Testoni scored the next three goals over the next eight minutes to give Iona a 5-2 advantage with 4:06 remaining in the first half. Wagner scored two unanswered tallies, cutting the deficit to one at half, 5-4.
The Gaels opened the second half on a 6-1 scoring run, to take an 11-5 lead with 11:17 remaining. McCormick scored all four of her goals in the second half which aided Iona to the six goal lead. Wagner did not go away quietly, scoring the last five goals of the contest to dwindle the lead down to just a goal with 1:17 remaining. Iona picked up the ensuing draw control and held on for the victory.
The Gaels are back in action on Wednesday, March 25 when they play host to Marist at Mazella Field. Opening draw is slated for 3:00 p.m.