ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – The Delaware Valley women's lacrosse team put up an impressive 11-goal first quarter to pace the Aggies to a 20-9 victory over Eastern on Saturday afternoon.
DelVal set the new single-game program record in caused turnovers recording 20 in the contest led by the effort of Samantha Charles with a team-high five.
DelVal averaged almost a goal a minute putting up six total through the first seven minutes of the first quarter. Charley Lengel-Kramer got the scoring started. Abbie Hostetler and Kyra McKeegan each put up a single-goal, but the run was highlighted by the hat trick effort from Ashley Birmingham.
A man-up advantage put Eastern in the position to break the scoring drought recording two goals in 23 seconds. McKeegan answered back with four goals in an Aggies' 5-0 run, the fifth goal from Katie Martin, to push DelVal to an 11-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
DelVal continued to hold Eastern scoreless tallying five unanswered goals through the first 11 minutes of the second quarter. Hostetler put up three more goals including one man-up. Gabriella Guerra joined in on the scoring spree with two goals also including one on a man-up advantage. Eastern finished the quarter with two goals to leave the Aggies with a 16-4 lead heading into the second half.
McKeegan and Birmingham combined for four goals in the third frame with Birmingham netting three to finish out the scoring for the Aggies. Eastern added five goals in the second half, four of which came in a scoreless final quarter for the Aggies.
McKeegan and Birmingham led the scoring for the Aggies with six goals apiece. McKeegan also tallied a team-high three assists and nine points. The Aggies fired 36 shots landing 28 on goal led by McKeegan with 11 shots and nine shots on goal. Charles led not only the caused turnovers but also tallied a team-high six draw controls.
Emily Drake played all 60-minutes in the net making six saves on 15 shots faced.
The Aggies return to action on Thursday, Mar. 13 when they travel to Notre Dame Maryland for a rescheduled contest set at 1 p.m.