NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona College women’s lacrosse team cruised to a 16-7 victory over Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rival Quinnipiac. With the victory, the Gaels improve to 5-8 overall and 1-4 in MAAC play while snapping a four-game losing streak.
The Maroon & Gold were led by junior Mary Kate McCormick’s seven-point afternoon. She tallied three goals and four assists to improve her MAAC-leading assist total to 24. Sophomore Erin Pugh, freshman Emma Hager, and junior Anna Kelly all posted multi-goal afternoons for the Gaels. For Pugh, her three goals extended her MAAC lead to 37. Senior captains Meghan Testoni and Bernadette Gennaro each netted a goal, and freshman Jenna Tolzmann, sophomore Grace Celona, and senior Casey Palmer also contributed to the Gaels scoring.
Senior goalkeeper Blaire Nathanson picked up her fifth win of the season stopping seven shots.
The Bobcats quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead less than a minute into the game. Hager responded with her first goal of the afternoon two minutes later to knot the score at 1-1. After a Quinnipiac goal, Iona went on a 5-0 scoring run, spanning 10:01 to take a 6-2 advantage with goals by Kelly, Hager, McCormick, and Testoni. The two teams traded a goal apiece until Hager’s third goal of the half with four ticks remaining sent the Gaels into the locker room with a 8-3 lead.
Quinnipiac scored two of the first three goals to begin the second half, cutting the deficit to 9-5. It would be the closest the Bobcats would get for the remainder of the game. Three straight goals by the Gaels pushed the lead to 12-5. The Gaels were aided in the second half by their two leading point getters, Pugh and McCormick, to put the game out of reach.
Iona is back in action on Saturday (Apr. 11) when it travels to Loudonville, NY to take on Siena. Opening draw is slated for 1:00 pm.