Fitchburg State Shoots Past Manhattanville, 15-12

Kelley sisters post nine points in Falcons first victory of the season

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 17, 2010) – The Fitchburg State women’s lacrosse team collected its first victory of the season this afternoon, defeating Manhattanville College, 15-12 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

JAMIE KELLEY

Fitchburg State received a solid offensive effort from freshman Jamie Kelley (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex) and junior Kaitlyn Kelley (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex) who combined for nine points on seven goals and two assists. Jamie Kelley led the Falcons with a team-best five points on four scores and one helper, while Kaitlyn Kelley added a trio of markers and one dish. Sophomore Amanda Burns (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) and senior Emily Swan (Franklin, Mass./Franklin) were also strong with three goals apiece, while senior Tori D’Amato (Hampden, Mass./Merrimack) and sophomore Tessa Leahy (Cohasset, Mass./Cohasset) notched one goal and one assist each.

Fitchburg State came out flying, outscoring Manhattanville 9-3 throughout the first period. The Falcons opened the frame riding a hot-streak, tallying the games first five scores. Swan started the Falcons scoring flurry with a score at the 28:35 mark, before capping the rally with her second marker of the contest, 20 minutes later. Burns added to the mix with a free-position tally five minutes into the half, while the Kelley sisters also added a pair of markers.

Manhattanville broke their scoring silence late in the frame as Emelda Ogweta (Portland, Maine/Portland) posted an unassisted goal at the 7:18 mark. Fitchburg State responded however, outscoring the Valiants 4-2 over the remainder of the period to boast a six goal lead at the break.

In the second half, Fitchburg State maintained its lead with five scores in the opening 20 minutes, using five different players in the process. Leahy opened the Falcons second half scoring with a goal at the 27:42 mark, while D’Amato, Swan, Burns and Kaitlyn Kelley followed.

Manhattanville threatened late in the second half, registering five unanswered goals in a four minute span, but Fitchburg State stopped the bleeding to hold on to their first victory of the season. Junior goaltender Elizabeth Rubin (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) earned the win between the pipes, stopping five shots over 60 minutes, while Kristen Bestill (Parkton, Md./Parkton) made nine saves in 42 minutes of work for the Valiants.

Fitchburg State (1-1, 0-0 NEWLA) returns to action tomorrow as it closes out its 2010 Florida schedule with a game vs. Sweet Briar College at 8:45 a.m.

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Fitchburg State 15, Manhatanville 12