WILDCATS SPOIL WOMEN’S LAX SENIOR DAY, TOP SAINTS 16-10

BOSTON, Mass. – Six players scored multiple goals to power the Johnson & Wales University women's lacrosse team over host Emmanuel College, 16-10, Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action at Roberto Clemente Field. The Wildcats notch their eighth straight victory and improve to 11-5 on the year and 8-1 in GNAC play while the loss drops the Saints to 10-4 and 7-2.

EC jumped out to an early 2-0 lead behind quick scores from juniors Amanda Cook (Saco, Maine) and Emily Baker (Stratham, N.H.) but JWU responded with a flurry of five consecutive scores by five different players over a span of 4 minutes and 29 seconds to take control of the action and lead at 5-2.

Senior middie Kristen Tuleja (Mansfield, Mass.) ended the run with a free position shot goal with 21:32 left in the first half to make it 5-3 but the Wildcats continued to push and back to back scores by sophomore Raquel Pederzani (Coventry, R.I.) and junior Lydia Knapp (Glens Falls, N.Y.) bumped the visitor's lead to 7-3 with 17:20 to play in the half.

Following over 10 minutes of scoreless action, Tuleja found the back of the net for her second score of the afternoon to make it 7-4 but Knapp answered minutes later to keep JWU's lead at four to make it 8-4.

EC appeared to steal some momentum heading into the half as Tuleja scored her third goal of the game with just 54 seconds to play to make it 8-5 but the Saints could not close out the half. Johnson & Wales won the ensuing draw control which led to a goal by sophomore Gabrielle Vasile (Milford, Mass.) with just 20 seconds to play to give JWU a 9-5 lead at the half.

Emmanuel opened the second half strong with a man-up score by Cook to make it 9-6 before senior middie Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.) scored her 51^st goal of the year to make it a two-goal game at 9-7 with 21:38 left in regulation.

The Wildcats called timeout to regroup and it worked wonders as the squad came out of the break with three consecutive goals to extend the lead to 12-7. Tuleja ended the run with her fourth goal of the action to make it 12-8 but it would be the closest the Saints would get as Johnson & Wales ripped off four straight goals to put the game out of reach at 16-8.

Cook and junior Savannah Lundwall (Fiskdale, Mass.) added late goals to account for the 16-10 final.

Knapp led Johnson & Wales with six points on four goals and two assists while Vasile added three goals. Pederzani, Allison Pazienski (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) and Elizabeth Tonn (Wantagh, N.Y.) all chipped in with two goals and an assist while Isabella Saluti (Chatham, N.J.) rounded out the Wildcats with two or more scores.

Tuleja, Cook and Higgins all finished the afternoon with four points each. Tuleja has four goals, Cook three goals and one assist and Higgins one goal and three helpers.

JWU senior goalie Cristal Benton (Albany, N.Y.) earned the win in goal making six saves while EC keeper Lauren White (Lynnfield, Mass.) made six saves for the Saints.

Prior to the start of the game, the Emmanuel athletic department honored the four seniors on the 2016 roster in Tuleja, Higgins, White and Monica Burdick (Stonington, Conn.).

With the win, the Wildcats secure the No. 2 seed in next week's Great Northeast Athletic Conference tournament while the Saints earn the No. 3 seed. Both squads will host GNAC Quarterfinal contests on Tuesday, May 3 with starting times and opponents to be announced.