PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) and senior
Maddie Hunt (Littleton, Mass.) each scored five goals as Plymouth State University roared past Fitchburg State University, 22-5, in a non-conference women's lacrosse game at Panther Field on Thursday afternoon.
PSU jumped out to a fast start, scoring five times in less than five minutes on the way to a 12-0 lead after the first quarter. Cunningham struck for four goals in the period alone. After the Falcons got on the board, the Panthers tacked on three more, including Cunningham's fifth of the game, to lead 16-1 at halftime.
Hunt scored three of her goals in the second half as the lead grew to 22-2 before Fitchburg State closed the game with three straight tallies.
Plymouth State jumps to 6-2, while the Falcons drop to 1-7.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 22, Fitchburg State 5
- Plymouth State (6-2)
- Fitchburg State (1-7)
How it Happened:
- Cunningham opened the scoring just 33 seconds in, and sophomore Sammy Murphy (Harrisville, R.I.) doubled the lead only 20 seconds later.
- Cunningham sandwiched two more goals around a tally from Hunt to make it 5-0 just 4:38 into the game.
- Senior Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) extended the margin, and freshman Gracie Menicci (Pepperell, Mass.) potted her first collegiate goal for a 7-0 advantage.
- Hunt and Cunningham struck back-to-back before the Panthers closed the quarter with goals from senior Jenna Stowell (Londonderry, N.H.), Murphy, and graduate student Elle Moshier (Stratford, Conn.) for a 12-0 lead.
- Donovan made it 13-0 in the opening minute of the second quarter.
- Fitchburg State got on the board just over four minutes in, but PSU ended the half with three more scores. Cunningham's fifth of the game made it 14-1, and Stowell and freshman Claire Joyce (Braintree, Mass.) each added late goals for a 16-1 halftime lead.
- The Falcons scored 1:25 into the third quarter, but Hunt responded with back-to-back goals. Joyce converted a feed from Menicci to make it 19-2 heading to the fourth.
- Hunt opened the final frame with her fifth goal of the day, and Donovan pushed the margin to 21-2. Freshman Marissa Zinke (Canaan, Conn.) added her first collegiate goal midway through the quarter.
- Fitchburg State notched the last three goals of the game to account for the final score.
By the Numbers:
- Cunningham's five goals were a career high, while Hunt finished one goal shy of her personal best.
- Donovan led all players with six points on three goals and three assists.
- Menicci chipped in three assists and snared six draw controls.
- Graduate student Megan Gaspa (Laconia, N.H.) scooped up a game-high six ground balls and added three caused turnovers and three draw controls.
- Freshman goalkeeper Keira Walsh (Nashua, N.H.) posted four ground balls and three caused turnovers in 45 minutes of action.
- Stowell led all players with seven draw controls.
- PSU dominated in shots on goal (25-5) and ground balls (21-10).
- The game marked just the fourth meeting between the teams. Plymouth State now owns a 3-1 record, with the lone loss coming in 2011.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to Bridgewater State on Tuesday (Apr. 1) for a non-conference matchup with the Bears at 6:00 p.m.
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