For Immediate Release: March 2, 2008
Contact: Anthony G. Naglieri (sports@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-2956

Freshmen heroics lead BU women's lacrosse past Iona 13-12

Box Score

VESTAL, N.Y. -- Freshman attack Ali Castiglie (Middle Island, N.Y.) scored with 1:21 remaining to break a 12-12 tie and freshman goalie Lauren Scott (Jarrettsville, Md.) turned away a free-position attempt with two seconds remaining in regulation to preserve the lead, sending the Binghamton women's lacrosse team past visiting Iona, 13-12, Sunday at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

Castiglie led all players with four assists and five total points. She now has a team-best 14 points on the season (six goals, eight assists). Scott entered the game in the second half and made six saves over the final 30 minutes to record her second victory of the season.

On the afternoon, 10 different Bearcats, including five freshmen, found the back of the net. Juniors Julia Demuth (Jordan, N.Y.) and Leanne Musso (Auburn, N.Y.), and freshman Erica Hill (Delmar, N.Y.) all finished with two goals to their credit.

"I thought the first half was a well-played game both offensively and defensively for us," head coach Tony Zostant. "We haven't really been coming out strong in the first 30 minutes, but today we showed a lot of focus and did a great job."

"In the second half, we were a bit out of sync," Zostant said. "They put some pressure on us, but we were poised enough to hang on for the win."

Iona got on the scoreboard first, taking a 1-0 lead just 4:51 into the game. The Bearcats responded with five of the next six markers to forge ahead 5-2.

The Gaels answered with a pair of quick goals, but Hill and freshman teammate Kate Tesi (Yorktown, N.Y.) scored in a 10-second span to stretch the lead back to three goals, 7-4, at the 9:24 mark.

The two teams exchanged goals, before a late Iona score made it an 8-6 game at the half.

Iona continued to pick up its play out of the break. The visiting Gaels cut the Bearcat lead down to one-goal on three occasions, before drawing even at 12-12 with 3:59 left to play.

The Gaels threatened after Castiglie's marker put the Bearcats back on top. Iona failed to get a clean shot off after controlling the ensuing draw control, but drew a free position shot with just three seconds remaining.

BU's freshman netminder, however, snagged the resulting attempt, and the Bearcats walked away with the 13-12 win.

Sophomore Lizzie Wright (Massapequa, N.Y.) and freshman Beth Moore (Hauppauge, N.Y.) each finished with a goal and an assist. The Bearcats also received goals from sophomore Tracy Weinstein (East Islip, N.Y.) and freshmen Lisa Illig (Corning, N.Y.) Siobhan Menz (Webster, N.Y.). Junior tri-captain Kara Slowik (Warners, N.Y.) and freshman Jen Fischer (Yorktown, N.Y.) both added assists for BU.

Senior Sandra Alvarez (Port Washington, N.Y.) made the start in net for the Bearcats. She finished with two saves and left the game with an 8-6 lead.

Jaclyn O'Leary scored a game-high three goals and Christie Godlewski contributed two goals and an assist to lead Iona.

Binghamton (2-2, 0-1 AE) is back in action on Tuesday when they head up Interstate-81 for a date with nationally-ranked Syracuse. The Orange entered the week ranked fourth in the nation.

Notes: Binghamton leads the all-time series with Iona 3-1. The Gaels won last year's meeting by an 18-12 margin in New Rochelle.