West Haven, Conn. – Under the lights at Kathy Zolad Stadium, the University of New Haven women's lacrosse team secured a commanding 19-9 victory over cross-town rivals Southern Connecticut State University, ensuring the Elm City Trophy remains on campus for another year.

The Chargers wasted no time making their presence felt, striking first just 50 seconds into the game. Giana Caprioli (Clinton Corners, N.Y./Franklin Delano Roosevelt )opened the scoring, finishing off an assist from Summer Castiglione (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial). The first quarter saw a tight battle between the teams, ending in a 3-3 tie. However, the Chargers turned up the intensity in the second quarter, outscoring the Owls 6-1 to take a 9-4 lead into halftime.

New Haven came out firing in the third quarter, adding seven more goals to their tally, ultimately putting the game out of reach. Leading the offensive charge was Caitlin Seleny (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton), who recorded a career-high 10 points, scoring seven goals and dishing out three assists. She also contributed in the redefend with three ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Katie Schenk (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug/Endicott) added a strong offensive performance with four goals and one assist, while Lindsey Belmonte (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport, ) secured a hat trick. Caprioli continued to make an impact on both ends of the field with two goals, one assist, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers. Lucy Shafer (Haymarket, Va./Battfield, ), Helena Dunwoody (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) and Morgan Uzdanovich (Nashua, N.H./Nashua) each found the back of the net, with Castiglione adding two more assists.

The Chargers dominated possession at the draw, winning 20-12. Dunwoody was a force, collecting 11 draw controls, while Schenk secured seven. Defensively, Maddie Sage (Manchester, N.H., Goffstown High School, ) anchored the team in net, playing all 60 minutes and recording eight saves to keep the Owls at bay.

This game also served as a tribute to Morgan's Message, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health in student-athletes. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, Morgan's Message aims to empower athletes to speak openly about mental health challenges and seek support when needed. The Chargers and Owls proudly wore blue to honor this mission, reinforcing the importance of mental wellness in collegiate athletics.

The Chargers (6-3) will look to carry their momentum into the weekend as they hit the road to face NE10 opponent Assumption on Saturday, March 29, at 1:00 PM.