Box Score CASTLETON, Vt. – The seniors on the Castleton University women's lacrosse team led the way Thursday night, scoring 12 goals as the Spartans won their eighth straight game with a 17-7 victory over Worcester State in a non-conference collegiate contest at Spartan Stadium.
Tiffany Danyow finally earned a career-high five goals after seven four-goal games this season, plus she dished out two assists for her fifth seven-point game of the year. Grace Johnson finished with four goals and one assist, and Ashley Pelkey contributed three goals and one assist for the Spartans.
Worcester State (5-11) took the lead three minutes into the game on a free position attempt by Alexis Vecchiarelli, but Castleton quickly tied the score 47 seconds later on Danyow's first goal of the game. The Spartans would take the lead for good when Chantel Wilkin set up Nadine Downing for a goal, and then Danyow scored again eight seconds later off an assist by Johnson.
Vecchiarelli scored her second goal of the game with 19:35 remaining in the first half, but Castleton struck back three minutes later, as Pelkey converted a free position attempt and then, 28 seconds later, assisted on Danyow's third goal of the night. Pelkey would score again less than one minute later, but Worcester State responded with a goal by Mackenzie Little to make the score 6-3 with 13:09 left in the first half.
Danyow scored the final goal of the first half, and then followed a goal by Johnson with her fifth and final tally of the evening 39 seconds later. After Little scored her second goal of the game, Erin Shuttle and Emily Cross scored 10 seconds apart, but Vecchiarelli completed her hat trick less than a minute later to keep the Lancers in the game, 11-5.
Halfway through the second half, Pelkey completed her hat trick, and Johnson would score twice sandwiched around Vecchiarelli's fourth goal of the match. Shuttle earned her second goal of the game, and then Danyow set up Hannah Braman with 10:08 remaining in regulation. The two teams would exchange goals in the final 17 seconds to create the final score.
Vecchiarelli's four goals came on six shots, while Little also earned two ground balls and two draw controls to go along with her two goals. Erin Haltam led Worcester State with five ground balls, and Lancer goalie Krissy Pessa made five saves during the contest.
Besides her goal, Downing collected three ground balls, six draw controls, and three caused turnovers. Samantha Hebb picked up her 10th victory of the season in net for the Spartans, making seven saves for a .500 save percentage.
Castleton (10-6) will host the winner of the NAC Tournament quarterfinal game between Colby-Sawyer and Husson in the semifinals of the tournament Sunday, April 30, at 1 p.m. at Spartan Stadium.
