FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Lacrosse team defeated Barton College in their season opener on Friday evening by a score of 14-8 at home.
The opening draw control was won by sophomore Neila Haney, as she took the ball down to the crease to start things off. FSU passed it around, until Haney had the ball back in her stick. She took her defender and scored her first goal of the season for an early 1-0 lead for the Bobcats. Barton won the next draw control, but junior Delaney Devers managed to grab the ball off the ground and create a successful clear for FSU. After a missed shot by Frostburg, graduate Lily Stephens, found Haney open for another goal and a 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs took the next draw control, as a quick turnover allowed graduate Maura O'Neill with the ball. FSU swung the ball around to find an opening, as Haney saw junior Julia Badolato cutting across goal, fed her the ball, resulting in a 3-0 game. Roughly five minutes passed until another FSU goal resulted in a hat trick for Haney, as sophomore Daniella Boss was credited with the assist for a 4-0 score. Seconds later, junior Savanna Reitz won the draw and Badolato scored her first goal of the night to increase Frostburg's lead to 5-0. On the next play, Barton got on the board as they won the draw and found an opening to bring the game to 5-1. Senior Camden DeMaio answered back scooping up the draw control that lead to an unassisted goal for a 6-1 game. With under two minutes left in the first, DeMaio found sophomore Emily Lamoreuax for her first goal of the season and a 7-1 score. In the final seconds of the first quarter, junior Kerri Hayes gave FSU a seven goal lead to go into the second up 8-1.
Barton got off a quick goal to begin the second, bringing the game to 8-2. The ball went back and forth from one end to the other between the two teams for the next few minutes. O'neill got things started again for FSU, finding the back of the net for a 9-2 game. Moments later, Barton hit a bounce shot past FSU for a 9-3 score. Junior Nicole Gray was able to make a couple saves as FSU's defense was able to cough up some turnovers by the Bulldogs. On a man-up play, Barton was able to make their way past Frostburg's defense to cut their deficit to 9-4. To end the first half, the Bulldogs put another away to end the half down 9-5.
Seven minutes of no score to start the third was ended by a Barton goal for a 9-6 game. The Bulldogs tired to put another away, but Gray made the stop and started the clear for FSU. Seconds later, Barton brought the score within one after winning a draw control and taking it to their offensive end, finding the back of the net for a 9-8 game. The Bobcats called a timeout to regroup, as out of the time out Badolato put one in the back of the next go back up 10-8. A draw control by Haney set up Badolato once more to put Frostburg up three 11-8 heading into the fourth and final quarter.
Hayes gave FSU some cushion in the fourth with quick back-to-back goals to increase Frostburg's lead to 13-8. Another save by Gray resulted in a successful clear for the Bobcats. With the ball back in FSU's offensive half, DeMaio scored an unassisted man-up goal to bring the game to 14-8. Frostburg was able to hold the Bulldogs scoreless in the fourth, coming out on top with a final of 14-8.
Badolato lead the Bobcats with four goals, as both Haney and Hayes each finished with a hat trick, DeMaio was credited with two goals, and O'Neill and Lamoreaux each scored one. Haney assisted on two goals, while also being credited with five draw controls. Haney, Devers, junior Megan Keller, and sophomore Jessie Bare all caused three turnovers each. Gray ended with ten saves in the team's first win of the season.
With the conclusion of this game, Frostburg moves to an overall record of 1-0 while Barton falls to an overall record of 2-1. The Bobcats are back in action on Sunday, February 25 at 12 PM as they take on No. 5 Grand Valley State in Bobcat Stadium. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.
