Newark, DE -- Sophomore Debbie Sloan (at right) recorded four goals as the University of Delaware women's lacrosse team closed out the regular season with a 15-4 non-league win over Villanova at Rullo Stadium Friday evening.

Delaware, which went 5-12 last season, improves to 11-5 on the year. The Blue Hens will return to the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament for the first time since 2005 as UD will take on No. 8 James Madison May 4 at 7:30 p.m.

A season-high nine Blue Hens scored goals including seniors Katie Muth and Amanda Alrich, who were playing their last home game in a Delaware uniform. Muth, Alrich, and freshman Courtney Aburn all tallied two goals for the Hens, while Nicole Flego, Casey McCrudden, Courtney Flounders, Katie McCool, and Emily Schaknowski each scored one goal in the win.

Villanova (6-9), which has dropped three straight games, was led by Kyler O’Shea who tallied two goals for the Wildcats in the loss.

Delaware dominated the early stages of the game as the Blue Hens scored the first six goals and held Villanova scoreless until the 7:39 mark. Muth got the Hens on the board just three minutes into play and she was quickly followed by Flego’s 33rd goal of the season. Sloan then scored back-to-back goals to put Delaware up 4-0. Flego added her team-high 20th assist on an Aburn goal at the 14:44 mark to give UD a five-goal lead. Flego is only three assist’s shy of Karen Emas’s freshman record for assists in a rookie season. After Muth’s second goal of the day, O’Shea got the Wildcats on the board with her third goal of the season. Alrich would end the half by posting back-to-back goals to send UD into the break up 8-1.

Delaware’s stellar play would continue in the second half as the Hens scored the first five goals out of the break to go up 13-1. Villanova would respond with two consecutive goals to cut the UD lead down to 10 but goals from McCool and Aburn would put the game away for the Hens.

Hofstra clinched the top seed in the CAA Tournament with their win over James Madison Friday. Delaware will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed pending James Madison’s final game, but either way the two teams will face each other at Hofstra on May 4. The winner will take on the winner of the other semi-final game between Hofstra and Old Dominion in the CAA championship game Sunday.

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