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Delaware 11, New Hampshire 7
April 16, 2001

Blue Hens Set Up Battle for First Place with Win over UNH

Kate O'Connell Scored Four Goals for the Blue Hens

NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware women's lacrosse squad set up a big showdown for sole possession of first place in the America East conference race with an 11-7 victory over New Hampshire Monday afternoon at Rullo Stadium.

Senior Kate O'Connell (Mt. de Sales/Columbia, MD) scored four goals, senior Megan Fortunato (Upper Moreland/Hatboro, PA) scored twice and dished out four assists, and junior Ashley Moderacki (Haverford/Havertown, PA) chipped in with two goals and two assists as Delaware (6-7, 4-0) won its second straight game and knocked the Wildcats out of the three-way tie for first place. Junior goalkeeper Laurie Tortorelli (Haverford/Havertown, PA) had her second straight impressive effort, posting 11 saves.

Delaware will travel to Hempstead, NY this Thursday night for a battle for sole possession of first place in the league standings with host and 18th ranked Hofstra (2-0, 9-1). The regular season champion will host the four-team America East Tournament May 4-5 with the winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

New Hampshire, which entered the game having won three straight and six of its last seven games, fell to 8-4 (3-1 America East) and remained winless in seven meetings all-time with Delaware. Colleen Christopher led the Wildcats with three goals and Christine Anneberg added two goals and one assist.

The Blue Hens, who knocked off No. 15 Boston University Saturday by a 9-7 score, kept the momentum going. Delaware broke a 5-5 deadlock with 22:47 left by outscoring New Hampshire 5-1 over the next 18 minutes to move on to the win. The Hens held UNH more than five goals below its average of 12.54 goals per game this season.

Fortunato, who moved into eighth place on the all-time UD career points list with 174, scored two first half goals to stake the Hens to a 4-2 lead at intermission.

New Hampshire's Christopher scored the first two goals of the second half to tie the score at 4-4 just four minutes in, and after Moderacki gave the Hens the lead back, UNH's Jessie Groszkowski tied it again at 5-5 with 22:47 left to play.

Delaware followed with a 6-1 charge, scoring three straight goals as Claire Marrazzo (Germantown Friends/Philadelphia, PA) scored on a backhander and O'Connell followed with two in a 51-second span for an 8-5 lead.

UNH struck again behind a goal from Molly Cherington with 7:58 left to cut the lead to 8-6, but UD junior Brooke Mulligan (Mt. de Sales/Baltimore, MD), who had scored just five goals all season, scored back-to-back goals 70 seconds apart to give the Hens a 10-6 lead with 3:55 left and put the game away.

AGATE:

New Hampshire...........2..........5..........7
Delaware....................4..........7.........11

Individual Scoring (Goals-Assists)

New Hampshire - Colleen Christopher, 3-0; Christine Anneberg, 2-1; Molly Cherington, 1-1; Megan Mangano, 0-2; Jessie Groszkowski, 1-1;

Delaware - Kate O'Connell, 4-0; Megan Fortunato, 2-4; Ashley Moderacki, 2-2; Brooke Mulligan, 2-0; Claire Marrazzo, 1-0; Corinne Shuck, 0-1

Shots: New Hampshire - 25, Delaware - 25; Saves: New Hampshire - 11 (Amanda Warren), Delaware - 11 (Laurie Tortorelli); Groundballs: New Hampshire - 27, Delaware - 24 ; Draw Controls: New Hampshire - 12, Delaware - 8 ; Caused Turnovers: New Hampshire - 12, Delaware - 15; Attendance: 250

 

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