MADISON, N.J. – For the first time in their 2015 campaign, the FDU-Florham women's lacrosse team was able to play in front of the home crowd. However, the Stevens Ducks bested the Devils 13-9 on Saturday afternoon at Robert T. Shields Field.
The Devils (2-2) fell behind early once junior Erika Wilcox netted the first two goals of the game for Stevens (2-1). The pair of Wilcox goals was followed up by a score from senior Caitlyn Hughes. The duo of Ducks proved to be hard to handle, netting a combined 11 goals in the contest.
With 18 minutes left in the first half, the Devils responded with goals from sophomores Brittney Calleo (Bayville, N.J.) and Brienna Reasoner (Flemington, N.J.). However, it was Wilcox and Hughes again who scored on back to back goals to take 5-2 lead.
Sophomore midfielder Noelle Shirey (Pine Beach, N.J.) netted a goal to cut into the Ducks lead and with less than 10 minutes to go in the half, Reasoner scored her second goal of the afternoon. The Devils and Ducks traded goals for the remainder of the half with Reasoner putting her third goal in the net right before the half.
Entering the second half trailing 7-6, junior Brianna Capobianco (Williston Park, N.Y.) knotted the game up with a goal on a free position shot. Less than three minutes after the Capobianco goal, it was Reasoner again but this time off the assist from Courtney Rendinaro (Hillsborough, N.J.) to give the Devils an 8-7 lead.
The Ducks went on to score four unanswered goals to retake the lead. With around nine minutes left in the game, Rendinaro scored on a free position shot cutting the Ducks lead to just two. However, Hughes sent two balls to the back of the net in the final five minutes of the contest to seal the 13-9 victory for Stevens.
Senior goalie Grace Warburton (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) made 10 saves in goal for the Devils and she was hard at work as the Ducks outshot the Devils 29-15 in the contest.
FDU-Florham will head to Florida for its spring trip and take on Nichols College on Tuesday, March 17, at 11 a.m.
