FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Monmouth University's (0-1) women's lacrosse team was unable to curb Fairfield's (1-0) second half offensive push, as the Hawks fell 13-6 in the 2012 season opener.
Sophomore Alex Marino (Howell, N.J./Freehold Twp.) led the Hawks with three points on two goals and an assist. Freshman goaltender Katie Donohoe (Peterborough, Ontario/Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School) made nine saves as MU was outshot 33-21 in the contest. Stags Chloe Mangin and Addie Reilly each scored four goals apiece and five total points in the win. Fairfield goalie Katie Keenan made nine saves in net.
"We gave up the draw too much, we gave them posession too many times," said third year head coach Denise Wescott. "Offensively I thought we started to get in the groove in the second half but between the lost ground balls and draw controls we gave them possession too much. Our defense played well enough to win, L.J. had a great game and Katie made some nice saves. I thought we had a shot at halftime but we gave Fairfield too many opportunities."
Trailing by three goals at the start of the second, MU sophomore Danielle Rakowitz (Montville, N.J./Montville) struck first for the Hawks, cutting the lead to 5-3 with 24 minutes to play in the game. Rakowitz' first collegiate goal was assisted by fellow second-year player Marino, who scored in the first half for MU. Fairfield answered just over a minute later on a Mangin free position shot that beat netminder Donohoe, to put the Stags up 6-3. Stag sophomore Addie Reilly's goal at the 18:44 mark put MU back 7-3 before Fairfield tacked on two more to push its lead to 9-3 with just over 15 remaining in the match.
Sophomore Lauren Johnson (Bellmore, N.Y./Mepham) got the Hawks back on the board with 14:54 to play, spinning on the right side of the net and beating Stag goalie Katie Keenan up top. After a pair of Stag goals set the Fairfield lead to 11-4, MU senior Lynn White (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) got her first marker of the season on a free position attempt. Marino finished the scoring for Monmouth, while Fairfield scored two late goals.
Fairfield scored back to back goals to open the game before Marino got the first goal of the 2012 season, cutting the lead to 2-1 halfway through the opening period. With 13:31 left in the first, the Stags collected a loose ball off a free position shot and expanded their lead with a Jamie Leon shot on the left side of the crease. Fairfield would tally two more goals over the next six minutes before senior Sam Lillo's (Short Hills, N.J./Milburn) first goal of the game would end the Stag run and the first half scoring with 5:36 to play. Lillo had an opportunity to score with seconds left before half but her shot was just wide left of the net and the Hawks trailed 5-2 going into the break.
Three Hawks scored their first career goals in the match as five MU players got on the board against the Fairfield. The Stags controlled the draw at a 13-7 pace, while Monmouth committed 19 turnovers compared with 16 for Fairfield.
The Hawks will host two-time defending Patriot League Champion Navy on Kessler Field on Wednesday, February 22 at 3 p.m.
