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#9 Delaware 20, Ohio State 12
March 31, 2000

Fortunato Leads Hens to 10th Straight Win; Buck Hits 100th Point


COLUMBUS, OH -- The No. 9 ranked University of Delaware women's lacrosse team rolled to its 10th straight victory Friday afternoon, scoring 10 goals in each half to post a 20-12 non-league win over Ohio State at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Junior Megan Fortunato (Upper Moreland/Hatboro, PA) led the Blue Hens with four goals while senior Sarah Edwards (Friends/Moorestown, NJ) added three goals and an assist.

The Blue Hens are off to a 7-0 start, their best start since the 1983 team jumped out 12-0 on the way to winning the NCAA national title. The Hens' 10 wins are the most since a 12-game win streak that same season. Ohio State (6-3) got three goals from Megan Mirick in the losing effort.

The two teams combined for seven goals in the first five minutes with Fortunato scoring two for the Hens, the second with 24:05 left in the opening half that gave Delaware the lead for good at 4-3.

Fortunato, who is second on the team in scoring with 17 goals, scored one more goal in the opening half as part of a four-goal run that the put the Hens up 10-6 at intermission.

The Buckeyes cut the Delaware lead to two at 12-10 with 20:43 left to play on a goal by Celeste Cianfrani, but the Hens answered with a five-goal run in a seven-minute span to push the lead to 17-10 with 12:39 left to play. Edwards had a goal and an assist during the pivotal run.

Kate O'Connell (Mt. de Sales/Columbia, MD), Sara Hills (St. Stephen's/Alexandria, VA), Kelly Swift (Mercy/Sparks, MD), and Corinne Shuck (Broadneck/Annapolis, MD) each added two goals for the Hens while senior co-captain Christy Buck (Mt. de Sales/Catonsville, MD) had a goal and two assists to surpass the 100-point mark for her career with 102 points.

Buck is the 21st member of Delaware's 100-point club and joins teammates Edwards and Fortunato who each reached the mark earlier this season.

Delaware will play Penn State Sunday in Columbus. The No. 16 ranked Nittany Lions lead the all-time series with the Hens 17-3, including a 15-6 win last season.

AGATE:

Delaware.......10.......10.......20
Ohio State........6........6.......12

Goals: Delaware - Megan Fortunato-4, Sarah Edwards - 3, Kate O'Connell-2, Sara Hills-2, Kelly Swift-2, Corinne Shuck-2, Lindsay Parsons, Christy Buck, Brooke Mulligan, Katy Hahn Liz Walton; Ohio State - Megan Mirick-3, Celeste Cianfrani-2, Lauren Cochran-2, Trish Derwart-2, Tracey Bounds, Miranda James, Shannon Wilson

Assists: Delaware - Christy Buck-2, Sarah Edwards, Kate O'Connell, Liz Walton; Ohio State - Tracey Bounds-2, Megan Mirick, Celeste Cianfrani

Shots: Delaware - 39, Ohio State - 36;

Groundballs: Delaware - 25, Ohio State - 27

Saves: Delaware - 14 (Laurie Tortorelli), Ohio State - 19 (Megan Barnett).

 

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