Midshipmen Sink Saint Francis, 24-0
Annapolis, Md. – The Saint Francis lacrosse team was held without a shot all game as the Navy Midshipmen trounced the Red Flash, 24-0, in SFU’s second trial of the 2008 season. The Flash were fully aware of the test they had in front of them Monday afternoon at Jack Stephens Field as the Naval Academy outscored their previous two opponents 42-15 in just their first season competing at the Division I level.
Freshman netminder Danielle Pokusa (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) stood tall in cage in the midst of a flurry of Midshipmen blasts, turning away eight shots in Monday’s matinee. Pokusa also piloted the team by causing two turnovers and ladling seven ground balls.
In the field, juniors Meghan Crosby (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore), Corri Smeak (Frederick, Md./St. John’s) and Sarah Wheeler (Canton, Conn./Canton) additionally contributed two ground balls. Senior Kati Kenyon (Glenmont, N.Y./Niskayuna) and newcomer Meg Lamarche (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) picked up one loose ball.
Crosby directed the Flash, claiming three draw controls, while freshman Heather Tiernan (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), sophomore Sarah Dittmann (State College, Pa./State College), Lamarche, Kenyon and Smeak all complemented SFU with one apiece.
Six different Midshipmen tallied hat tricks, while 11 total Navy laxers scored in the match. The Mids dunked their first goal just 22 seconds into the contest on a Kaylene Klingenstein tally. Navy extended their lead to 3-0 three minutes into the game, then scored three goals in an 18-second span to take control. Navy would manage goals 11 seconds apart for an 8-0 lead with 23:37 to play, before scoring again just eight seconds apart for a 10-0 advantage with 22:15 to play.
The Naval Academy led at halftime, 17-0, outfiring the Red Flash, 26-0, in the opening stanza.
Several of Navy's stats throughout the tilt rewrote six NCAA single-game records. Navy's 17 assists were the third most in a single-game in NCAA history. The Midshipmen’s 41 points (24 g, 17 a) were the third most in a single-game in NCAA history. The 24-goal differential is tied for the eighth-largest margin in a single-game in NCAA history. Amanda Towey's seven assists are tied for the eighth most in a single-game in NCAA history. Kaylene Klingenstein’s goal 22 seconds into the game tied for the ninth-fastest goal to start a game in NCAA history. Finally, Navy scored the third-fastest and the eighth-fastest consecutive goals in NCAA history.
To Navy’s credit, the Midshipmen have defeated their last three opponents by an average of 17 tallies.
Saint Francis (0-2) returns back to Loretto for their first home game of the season when they play host to the Niagara Purple Eagles of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference at 1pm on Saturday, March 8. Niagara is 1-1 on the season, falling to Navy and taking down Howard University.