SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior Ivana Hernandez opened up the scoring just 65 seconds into the action as the New Haven women's lacrosse team never looked back in their Northeast-10 opener, defeating the American International Yellow Jackets by a 22-3 margin. With the win, New Haven improves to 4-2 on the season, 2-0 in the NE10 Conference.
The Chargers would open up a 13-0 lead before surrendering a goal to the Yellow Jackets. Following that score from AIC, the Chargers would go on to take a 19-1 lead in the fourth quarter and closed out the game scoring three of the final five goals of the night.
That opening goal from Hernandez was her first of two in the opening quarter as she was one of three Chargers to rack up a hat trick on the night and one of eight players to finish with multiple goals and one of 11 players total to find the back of the cage.
Joining Hernandez in finishing with a team-high three goals was graduate attack Cameryn Antler (Hebron, Conn./Mercy) and rookie Helena Dunwood who also each added an assist to lead the team with four points apiece. Gianna Caprioli (Clinton Corners, N.Y./Franklin Delano Roosevelt), Summer Castiglione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial), Katie Schenk (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug), Lindsey Belmonte (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) and Helena Koch (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable Regional) all followed with two goals each. Rounding out the New Haven scoring was Kyra Sparks (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township), Alyssa Wahl (British Columbia, Canada/Ecole Riverside Secondary) and Lucy Shafer (Haymarket, Va./Battfield) who each finished with one. Wahl added an assist to finish with two points.
Five of the Chargers 22 goals came on free position attempts, including both of Castiglione's goals, which led the way in that category. Antler, Schenk and Sparks also added free position scores.
In addition to her two scores, Caprioli also added a team-high six draw controls and registered five ground balls which also led the squad. Overall, New Haven led the way with 15 draw controls compared to 12 for the Yellow Jackets. Defensively, New Haven forced 13 turnovers on the Yellow Jackets, with seven different players all recording one caused turnover.
In net, New Haven used the opportunity to get multiple keepers action with senior Gabby Buscemi (East Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) earning the victory as she played the full first half. In her 30 minutes of action, she recorded three saves and allowed a single goal. Fabi McLeod (Concord, N.H./Cheshire Academy) and Madaline Sage saw limited time, while freshman Caroline D'Angelo (Danbury, Conn./Danbury) saw the most action off the bench, finishing 17:47 in goal without allowing a scored and registering three saves.
Next time the Chargers take the field it will come as the conclusion of four-straight games away from their home field as they will continue Northeast-10 Conference action over the weekend when they travel to Colchester, Vt. to take on the Saint Michael's Purple Knights. Opening draw in the NE10 battle is slated for 1:00 p.m.
