WEST HAVEN, Conn. – After scoring the opening two goals, the No. 18 University of New Haven women's lacrosse team never trailed as it went end-to-end in a 19-11 victory over Saint Thomas Aquinas to close out the non-conference portion of the 2018 schedule on Thursday night at Kathy Zolad Stadium. Leading the Blue and Gold on the night was junior midfielder Mackenzie Reh (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) who finished with a career-high nine points, that coming on a career-high tying six goals and three assists.
Overall, Reh was one of four players who all finished with five or more points, followed closely by sophomore attack Caroline Maher (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) who closed out the contest with a career-high eight points, which came on two goals and six assists. Sophomore midfielder Kendra Nolan (Oak Ridge, N.J. /Jefferson Township ) and junior attack Samantha Galler (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) each rounded out the leaders with five goals apiece, both setting career-high marks. The five goals for Galler was also just the second time in her career at New Haven she has finished with a hat trick.
One other Charger found the back of the net against STAC, that coming from freshman Emily Holland (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry). As a team, New Haven finished the night with a 41-18 margin in the shot column, while also winning 24 of the 32 draw controls, led by sophomore Raven Linton (Lawrenceville, N.J./Notre Dame) who secured a career-high 16, which set a school record for a single game. Between the pipes, sophomore Erica Rinsky (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) earned the victory who closed out the full 60 minutes with three saves.
The Chargers didn't waste much time getting on the scoreboard, putting in back-to-back scores just 60 second apart, taking a 2-0 lead less than four minutes into the action. Both of those initial goals came from Galler, the first as the Chargers were playing a player down. Maher also registered her first two assists on the two opening goals.
The Spartans answered that early run with their first goal, before Galler struck again, completing her hat trick 5:16 into the contest, this time connecting with Julia Jette (Franklin, Mass./Franklin). Reh followed that Galler goal with her first of the night on a free position attempt, providing a 4-1 lead for the Blue and Gold.
STAC answered that deficit by scoring its only back-to-back goals of the night, pulling within a single goal margin before Maher and Reh went back-to-back to regain a three-goal lead, 6-3 just shy of the halfway mark in the opening period. After allowing one more score by the Spartans in the first half, the Chargers began a four-goal rally that spanned the two halves with goals from Galler and Reh to close out the first half. Both of those came on assists from Maher as the Mansfield, Mass. native closed out the first half with five points.
Just over 90 seconds into the second period, the sophomore attack Nolan notched her first tally of the night scoring on a free position attempt before Maher rounded out the four-goal rally with her second of the evening. That 10-4 lead for New Haven didn't sit well with the Spartans as they managed their longest run of the game, three-straight to cut its deficit in half just over six minutes into the period.
Over the next nine minutes, the two teams evenly split the next six goals with Nolan scoring two of the Chargers three while Reh added the third. The final two goals, which came from STAC, in that stretch came at the halfway mark in the frame. After those two STAC goals, the Chargers began their longest run of the night, a series of six straight goals, the first two on free position attempts from Reh and Holland. After Reh and Galler found the net for the next two, Nolan capped off her evening with back-to-back man-up goals, the final two of the evening for New Haven.
The Chargers will return to action on Saturday for their third-straight game under the lights when they travel to Springfield, Mass. for a date with the American International Yellow Jackets. Opening draw from Abdow Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
