Panama City, FL – The Roger Williams University Women's Lacrosse team put on an impressive performance on Thursday, securing a decisive 17-6 victory over Westfield State.
From the opening draw, the Hawks asserted dominance, outscoring Westfield State in every quarter. Leading the charge for the Hawks was Mia Pantano (Reading, Mass.) and Kimmy Creegan (Ramsey, N.J.), who both netted four goals each. Their scoring coupled with key contributions from Emma Terino (East Meadow, N.Y.) (2 goals, 2 assists), Miranda Hayes (South Burlington, Vt.) (2 goals, 1 assist), and Allie Shamberger (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) (2 goals), kept the Owls on their heels throughout the contest.
The Hawks wasted no time getting on the board after Westfield State's Kylie Buchanan opened the scoring at 12:26 in the first quarter. The Hawks responded quickly with an unassisted goal from Hayes just three minutes later. By the end of the opening period, the Hawks had surged ahead 4-2, thanks to back-to-back goals from Creegan and a late tally by Shamberger.
The second quarter was where the Hawks began to pull away, outscoring the Owls 6-1. Terino and Hayes each notched early goals before Ella Waryas (Foxboro, Mass.) and Shamberger extended the lead. Another goal from Creegan and a well-placed shot from Waryas assisted by Hayes capped off the dominant quarter, sending the Hawks into halftime with a commanding 10-3 lead.
Pantano took control in the third quarter, recording three of her four goals in a span of just over eight minutes. Assists from Terino fueled her scoring burst, and the Hawks continued to build a lead. Despite two more goals for Westfield from Emma Prattson and Buchanan, the Hawks held firm, entering the final period up 14-5.
Defensively, goalkeeper Zoey Cormican (Rochester, N.H.) performed well in net, recording nine saves on 15 shots on goal. The defense, led by key efforts from Creegan and Pantano, forced 13 Westfield State turnovers, stifling their offensive rhythm. The Hawks also dominated the draw control battle, winning 14 to Westfield's 11, with Hayes controlling a game-high eight draws.
In the closing minutes, Terino, Creegan, and Meaghan Holmes (Pembroke, Mass.) added insurance goals, sealing the 17-6 victory.
The Hawks round out their Spring Break trip with a win as they look to return to Rhode Island and move forward with their next game against Babson on Tuesday, March 18th at 4:00pm at home on Bayside Field. Following that, the Hawks will host their first conference matchup against Hartford on Wednesday, March 26th at 4:00pm.
