Freshman Grace Lane (Long Beach, N.Y. / Sacred Heart Academy) paced The University of Scranton women's lacrosse team with a career-high five goals in a decisive 12-5 non-conference win over Kean University on Wednesday evening at Weiss Field in Scranton, PA.
With the win, the Royals move to 5-4 on the season and secure their fourth consecutive win.
Lane got things rolling for Scranton with a free position goal in the first two minutes of play. She then assisted on the following goal, finding senior Jennifer Williams (Branchburg, N.J. / Somerville) for the second score of the game. Junior Maggie Smith (Glen Rock, N.J. / Glen Rock) and freshman Allie Halfpenny (Mount Laurel, N.J. / Lenape) each added to the tally for the Royals in the late stages of the first period as the squad held a 4-1 lead headed into second quarter.
Lane found the back of the net twice in the second period to notch a first half hattrick including a pair of free position goals. Sophomore Devyn Tanajewski (Ringwood, N.J. / Lakeland Regional) also scored in the second quarter off a crafty feed from senior Halle Conklin (Point Lookout, N.Y. / Kellenberg Memorial). At the half, Scranton led by a score of 7-4 over the Cougars.
Halfpenny scored her second goal of the game at the 11:07 mark in the third quarter as she juked past her defender and ripped one past the Kean goalkeeper. Lane followed up less than a minute after with her third free position goal of the game to give the Royals a five-point cushion. Sophomore Kayleigh Stalter (Lynbrook, N.Y. / Lynbrook) scored her first goal of the game for Scranton in the third period, also off a free position attempt.
The Royals blanked the Cougars in the fourth period as Halfpenny and Lane each added to the tally for Scranton. Halfpenny joined Lane with a hattrick in the game for the Royals.
Lane finished with a game-high six points on five goals and one assist. On the defensive end, senior Jaclyn McCusker (River Edge, N.J. / River Dell) led Scranton with five ground balls and two caused turnovers while fellow senior defender Emily Schum (East Hanover, N.J. / Morris Catholic) recorded two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Junior Caroline Miller proved to be a difference maker on draw controls in the second half as she led the Royals in four in the game. Freshman goalkeeper Lauren Boldis (Merrick, N.Y. / Sanford H. Calhoun) showed well again for Scranton, gathering five saves while adding one caused turnover and one ground ball on a nifty steal in the middle stages of the game.
The Royals will return to action on Saturday when they return to conference play in a road game at Catholic at 12:00 PM.
--ROYALS--
