The Rensselaer women’s lacrosse team went 1-1 last week raising their record to 2-2 overall. RPI cruised in their home opener over Hartwick 15-3 and lost a heartbreaker to Oneonta State 9-8.
On Thursday, the Red Hawks took on the Hawks of Hartwick. RPI got on the board first when senior Mary Beth Cooley scored her first of three goals in the game, three minutes into the first half. Freshman Kathy Seward increased the Red Hawk lead to 4-0 scoring three goals in a seven minute span.
The Hawks finally got on the board with 7:30 left in the first half when Jenev Schilling put her first of three goals past junior goaltender Meghan Gaul off an assist from Margrett Marshall. Sophomore Erin Campbell finished the first half scoring with two minutes left, putting a shot by Hartwick goaltender Amanda Gerich to put Rensselaer up 5-1 at halftime.
In the second half, the Red Hawks continued to dominate the Hawks, peppering Gerich with 17 shots in the half. Junior Hillary Lahn put three of those shots past the Hawk goalkeeper.
Senior Jenn Celli and Cooley also had a multi-goal half, each scoring two goals apiece for RPI. Freshman Sabrina Alimi, senior Mary Roy, and Campbell each found the back of the net as well in the second half.
At the other end of the field, Gaul did not have much action the whole game, fielding only six shots from the struggling and helpless Hartwick squad.
The Red Hawks traveled to Oneonta on Saturday to take on the Red Dragons. RPI controlled the game early scoring three goals in the first 17 minutes of the game. Cooley, sophomore Rebecca Primm, and Roy recorded the goals. Primm also had an assist on Cooley’s goal.
Oneonta did not get down though, storming back to get four goals in the final 13 minutes of the half to take a 4-3 lead into halftime.
Cooley tied the score three minutes into the second half only to see the Red Dragons respond with three unanswered goals.
The Red Hawks stormed back to tie the game at eight with just under seven minutes left on goals by Cooley, Roy, and Lahn. Jen Long spoiled the RPI comeback however, scoring with five minutes left and the Oneonta defense, led by goaltender Jocelyn Grafstien’s seven saves made the lead stand.
Cooley finished the game with three goals and Roy and Lahn had two goals apiece for the Red Hawks. Long and Erin Maybeck led seven Red Dragon scorers with two goals each. Gaul finished with 19 saves in the loss.
Rensselaer defeated Western New England College 13-5 yesterday in the first of a three game road trip for the Red Hawks. Roy scored five goals in the blowout win.
On Friday RPI travels down Route 7 to take on the Dutchwomen of Union at 4 pm and on Saturday the Red Hawks travel up I-87 to take on the Skidmore Thoroughbreds at 2 pm.
