CASTLETON, Vt. – The Castleton University women's lacrosse team took an early lead and never looked back on Saturday afternoon, cruising to a 17-4 victory over Mitchell College in non-conference play at Dave Wolk Stadium.
 
The Spartans (1-4) scored eight consecutive goals to open the game, and ended up outshooting Mitchell (1-5) 33-15 overall and 26-10 on goal in the contest. Castleton collected 17 draw controls to Mitchell's nine, though Mitchell had a 26-24 edge in ground balls.
 
Deena Jacunski had a big game for Castleton, amassing four goals and an assist for five total points. Kimberly McCarthy also had four goals with three ground balls, and Ryanne Mix added three scores with five ground balls and five draw controls. Lacey Greenamyre contributed two goals, an assist and six draw controls. Madelyn Cote also scored twice, with Maddie Brasser adding one goal and one assist for a two-point game. Raven Payne was stellar when called upon in goal, stopping 60.0 percent of the shots she faced with six saves in the victory.
 
Kathryn Barillaro and Jessica Krupnikoff each had a goal and an assist for Mitchell in the contest, while Fallon McGraw and Rachel Ricciuti added goals. Alex Novakowski had seven ground balls and McGraw notched six. Hannah Gomes stopped nine shots between the pipes in the loss for the Mariners.
 
Castleton wasted no time getting on the board, scoring just 52 seconds into play when Mix netted her first of three goals in the game. Mix tallied her second just 21 seconds later, making it 2-0 Castleton in the early going. Cote then got in the goal column for Castleton before McCarthy rattled off three consecutive scores for the Spartans to double the lead to 6-0 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Greenamyre and Jacunski made it 8-0, each scoring in the first minute of the second period. Barillaro broke through for Mitchell, but Castleton answered by scoring four more goals unanswered going into halftime. Mix potted her third of the game and Jacunski followed with her second just 34 seconds later. Greenamyre netted her second goal to make it 11-1 before McCarthy collected her fourth goal of the half for a 12-1 Spartan lead at halftime.
 
Castleton scored two more times to push the lead to 14-1 early in the third quarter, with Jacunski and Brasser adding to the big lead. Krupnikoff and Jacunski then traded goals for a 15-2 Castleton edge, before Mitchell strung together two straight goals to make it 15-4. Castleton scored the final two tallies of the game, with Grace Sharkey notching her first career goal before Cote capped the scoring with less than a minute to play for the 17-4 victory.
 
The Spartans return to action Tuesday evening at Fitchburg State. Opening draw is slated for 5 p.m.