PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) set program records for points and assists in a game, while senior
Jenna Stowell (Londonderry, N.H.) recorded her 100th career point as Plymouth State University steamrolled the University of Massachusetts Boston, 25-1, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's lacrosse matchup at Panther Field on Saturday afternoon.
Cunningham assisted on each of PSU's first three goals as the Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead less than five minutes into the contest. The Beacons briefly halted the run with a goal, but Cunningham responded just 22 seconds later, igniting a dominant 22-goal surge to close out the game.
Stowell reached the 100-point milestone with an assist late in the first quarter. Cunningham tied the program records for both points and assists with a helper in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, then claimed sole possession of each mark just over three minutes later. She finished the day with four goals and nine assists for 13 points. PSU's 25 goals were just two shy of the program best.
The game also marked the team's annual
Morgan's Message event, supporting the mission to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting equal importance for mental and physical health among student-athletes.
Plymouth State improves to 8-2 (2-0 LEC), while the Beacons fall to 5-6 (0-3 LEC).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 25, UMass Boston 1
- Plymouth State (8-2, 2-0 LEC)
- UMass Boston (5-6, 0-3 LEC)
How it Happened:
- Senior Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.), graduate student Elle Moshier (Stratford, Conn.) and senior Maddie Hunt (Littleton, Mass.) each capitalized on Cunningham's crisp passing as PSU built a 3-0 lead in the opening five minutes.
- UMass Boston scored with 8:39 left in the first quarter, but Cunningham answered just 22 seconds later, sparking a 6-0 run that gave PSU a 9-1 lead after one.
- Stowell assisted sophomore Sammy Murphy (Harrisville, R.I.) to hit the 100-point milestone late in the first, then added another assist on Cunningham's second goal.
- The Panthers poured in eight more goals in the second quarter. Donovan and Hunt each scored twice, while Moshier, Cunningham, Murphy and freshman Gracie Menicci (Pepperell, Mass.) also found the back of the cage. Cunningham tallied three more assists in the quarter, ending the half with seven – just one shy of the school record.
- Hunt scored early in the third, and Menicci extended the lead to 19-1 midway through the frame. Freshman Allie Woods (Pembroke, Mass.) netted her first collegiate goal, followed by tallies from Donovan, Cunningham, and freshman Claire Joyce (Braintree, Mass.) to make it 23-1 after three.
- Cunningham assisted Menicci in the opening minute of the fourth quarter to tie the program marks for both assists and points in a game, then broke both records with an assist to Joyce three minutes later, capping the scoring at 25-1.
By the Numbers:
- Cunningham led the way with four goals and nine assists for a program-record 13 points in a single game. Her nine assists also set a new school record.
- Hunt scored five goals and added an assist and two ground balls, while Donovan added five goals of her own, while contributing two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
- Menicci had a strong showing with three goals and an assist to go with six draw controls.
- Stowell grabbed a game-high 13 draw controls. She also picked up four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
- Graduate student Megan Gaspa (Laconia, N.H.) had a game-high five caused turnovers and added three draw controls and three ground balls.
- Plymouth State's 25 goals were just two shy of the program's single-game record.
- Last season, the Panthers defeated UMass Boston, then in their inaugural season, by an 18-2 margin.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State heads to VTSU Castleton on Wednesday (Apr. 9) for a 7:00 p.m. clash with the Spartans.
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