MANSFIELD, Conn. - The Roger Williams University women's lacrosse team outscored Eastern Connecticut State University by seven over the final 20 minutes on the way to a 16-10 non-conference victory over the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors Friday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

With Eastern (1-3) leading 8-7 ten minutes into the second half, Roger Williams (1-1) scored four times in six minutes - three by freshman Danielle Neagle (Avon, Conn.) - to move out to an 11-8 lead. After the Warriors responded with two goals in a minute to cut the gap to one, the Hawks closed out the game with five straight goals over the final 11 minutes. Neagle got the run going with an unassisted goal, and senior midfielder Claire Halliday (Tenton, N.J.) scored twice in 42 seconds and three times in three minutes to put the game away for the visitors. After scoring three straight, Halliday assisted on the final goal of the match with six minutes left.

In a matchup of young teams which come for 26 freshmen and sophomores, Roger Williams regained the momentum early in the second half after the Warriors put together a five-goal streak in the final seven minutes of the first half, then scored the first goal of the second half to take their only two-goal lead of the game.

In addition to scoring four goals for the second time in as many matches his season, Halliday recorded three assists, with junior attack Danica Delia (Norwalk, Conn.) registering her first four assists of the season and senior midfielder Kate Malenczak (Sayville, N.Y.) totaling three goals and two assists.

Senior defender Nicole Papasergiou (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) won eight of her team's 22 ground balls and senior defender Erica Palmer (Branford, Conn.) caused four turnovers.

Outscored 11-4 in the second half, Eastern got four goals and four draw controls from junior attack Ashley Prizio (Brookfield) in the game. Junior defender Megan Barrett (Setauket, NY) had six ground balls and freshman midfielder Rachel Meotti (Glastonbury) five ground balls and three caused turnovers and scored her first collegiate goal with eight minutes left in the first half. Freshman midfielder attack Erin Conn (Moriches, NY) won half of her 28 faceoffs. Sophomore midfielder Daniela Marchitto (Orange) contributed two goals and two assists and won two draws. Led by Marchitto (2-for-2), Eastern connected on all four of its free position tries.

While RWU pulled away with its 9-2 scoring run in the second half, Eastern rallied from an early 5-1 deficit in the first half to post a 7-5 halftime lead. Prizio scored three of the team's six straight goals and won two draws in that burst that ended the first half, while Conn won four faceoffs, Barrett and Meotti contributed three ground balls each and Meotti won a draw and caused a turnover over those final 17 minutes of the first stanza.

Freshman goalie Meagan Connelly stopped ten shots to gain her first collegiate win. Eastern sophomore Nancy Ibrahim (Lindenhurst, NY) made six saves.

Eastern faces No. 8 nationally-ranked Colby College March 20 at Clermont, Fla., while RWU moves on to face Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa. Monday at 4 p.m.

Release courtesy Eastern Connecticut State University Sports Information Department.