Photo courtesy Mark Campbell

NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware women's lacrosse team got a career-high five goals from senior attack Katie Muth (at right), who also dished out two assists on the way to a 16-11 victory over Colonial Athletic Association rival Drexel on Friday night at Rullo Stadium.

Senior attack Casey McCrudden and freshman midfielder Julianna Jeffers added three goals apiece for the Blue Hens, who notched their 14th consecutive home victory to improve to 7-3 on the season and 1-1 in CAA play.

Delaware scored the first six goals of the game over an 11:21 span - three of them by Muth - and was never seriously challenged.

Jeffers opened the scorebook with a laser shot on a feed from Muth just 24 seconds into the action, and sophomore midfielder Emily Schaknowski (two goals, two assists) doubled the Hens' advantage a minute later. Muth netted goals at 23:34 and 22:13 to put her team in command at 4-0, the first on a free position shot and the second courtesy of a Nicole Flego assist.

McCrudden found the net with 21:09 left in the first half to extend the margin to five, and Muth scored for the third time in under five minutes to give the Hens an insurmountable 6-0 cushion.

Drexel's offense woke up midway through the half, scoring four unanswered goals to pull to within 6-4 on Kaitlin Keegan's free-position blast at the 3:18 mark. But sophomore attack Courtney Aburn stopped the Dragons' surge just before the half, beating Drexel goalkeeper Lauren LaBella eight seconds before the horn.

The Hens opened the second period much like the first, as goals from Muth, Jeffers, and Alexis Curcio pushed the lead to 10-4 five minutes into the final stanza. The Dragons (8-4, 0-2 CAA) could never get closer than three the rest of the way.

Becca Drylie-Perkins, Gwenna Johnson, and Katie Bradley scored three goals each to key a potent Drexel attack that out-shot the Blue Hens 26-23.

Delaware converted 16 of its 23 shots into goals, shooting an incredible 69.6 percent on the night. The Dragons, meanwhile, were plagued by 19 turnovers and 23 fouls.

Junior goalkeeper Jessica Cerveny earned the win for the Hens, making six saves.

The Blue Hens' 14-game home winning streak is tied for second-longest in the nation. Pennsylvania has also won 14 straight at home, while defending national champion Northwestern hasn't lost at home in 37 games.

UD defeated Drexel for the first time since 2004, ending a three-game drought against the Dragons and avenging last season's 15-9 defeat in Philadelphia.

Delaware returns to action on Sunday, when the Hens continue their CAA slate with a trip to Hofstra.

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