CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's lacrosse team claimed an 18-1 victory over in-state rival Vermont State University Lyndon on a damp Thursday afternoon at Dave Wolk Stadium.
The Spartans (2-9) poured in the first 15 goals of the contest before the Hornets (0-6) cracked the score column. Castleton led 24-4 in shots on goal, 52-26 in ground balls and set a new program record in a single game with 30 caused turnovers. The Spartans also won 15-of-22 draw controls in the contest and scored twice on free-position shots.
Kimberly McCarthy and
Gianna Geraci logged hat-tricks for the Spartans in the victory, with McCarthy adding three assists for a six-point contest.
Tien Connor contributed two goals and three assists and
Phoebe Loomis had two goals and two helpers.
Renny Cota,
Megan Ward and
Kailyn August all had two goals each and
Katie Stager netted her first career goal for VTSU Castleton. McCarthy also led the team with eight ground balls.
Colleen Sheridan had seven ground balls and five caused turnovers while Ward added seven ground balls with four caused turnovers. Geraci's six draw controls led the way with Ward and McCarthy snagging four each.
Liv Cormier collected her second win of the season between the pipes, allowing just one goal and making three saves in the victory.
Lyndon's lone strike came from the stick of Riley Webster. Kiara Mack collected eight ground balls and Victoria Fitih had four with three caused turnovers on her line. Alyssa Gerrish made six saves in goal.
VTSU Castleton jumped out to an early lead, with Loomis striking less than a minute into the contest. McCarthy rattled off back-to-back goals for a 3-0 lead and Geraci scored immediately following a Hornet yellow card to make it 4-0. Ward pushed the lead to 5-0 midway through the frame.
Leading by five to start the second, Geraci and Cota scored just 30 seconds apart and McCarthy made it three goals in a 62-second span to extend the gap to 8-0. Connor assisted on each of the next two goals, setting up Ward and Geraci for a 10-0 lead and jump-starting the clock to running time. Cota tacked on one more before halftime to give the hosts an 11-0 lead at the break.
August scored out of the break to make it 12-0 Spartans before an own goal by the Hornets extended VTSU Castleton's lead to 13-0. Connor broke into the goal column for herself with a goal in the third quarter before August's second of the afternoon set the differential at 15-0. Webster scored late in the third for VTSU Lyndon to stop the run, but a trio of fourth-quarter goals—including Stager's first career score—set the game at its final mark of 18-1.
VTSU Castleton is back in action on Saturday at 11 a.m. with a Senior Day contest against Eastern Connecticut at Dave Wolk Stadium.
