Cincinnati, Ohio ? The Robert Morris University women's lacrosse team opened the season on a high note with an 11-8 victory over Cincinnati Friday afternoon at Nippert Field.
Sophomores Alana Beck (Carle Place, N.Y. / Old Dominion) and Missy Sunseri (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) combined for seven points in their Colonial debuts. Beck led the offense with three goals and an assist, while Sunseri notched two scores and a helper.
Robert Morris took to the offensive early, scoring three consecutive scores in the opening 13 minutes. Junior Kara Blakeley (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) gave the Colonials a 1-0 lead on a free-position shot at 25:36, followed by scores from freshman Courtney Bertolone (Farmingville, N.Y. / Sachem East) and Sunseri at 19:18 and 17:16 to stretch the advantage to 3-0.
The Bearcats would answer back though with a three-goal run of their own. A goal by Burton and two from Lindsay Marshall, who led UC with three goals, tied the game at 3-3.
After a short break in the scoring, RMU's Sunseri snapped the deadlock with her second goal of the game on an unassisted play at 9:55.
Cincinnati closed out the first half with three more scores including Marshall's third goal with just six seconds left in the frame.
Robert Morris outscored Cincinnati, 7-2, in the second half. The Colonials started out the stanza with a four-goal barrage to take an 8-6 lead. Beck would get the ball rolling at 26:13 with her first of the game followed by a free-position shot from freshman Ashley Trombetta (Sykesville, Md. / Century) at 23:17. RMU took the lead when Beck connected on back-to-back scores off assists from juniors Jillian Howley (East Northport, N.Y. / Northport) and Emily Tomlinson (Springfield, Va. / West Springfield) at 23:13 and 22:59.
The home team found their offensive groove again five minutes later with a pair of goals to tie the game at 8-8, but another string of Colonial goals would prove too much for the Bearcats to handle.
Blakeley scored what proved to be the game-winner on an unassisted play at 8:19. Junior Ashley Levering (Glenwood, Md. / Glenelg) gave the Colonials a three-goal cushion with consecutive scores at 5:42 and 3:10, extending her 19-game point streak in the act and sealing the team's first season-opening victory in program-history.
Senior Lauren Hartsfield (Cumming, Ga. / South Forsyth) went the distance in net, stopping 12 shots en route to her first-ever collegiate victory.
Defensively, the Colonials were led by juniors Mary Kate Egan (Lynch, Md. / Kent) and Tori Gargon (Columbia, Md. / River Hill) with three caused turnovers apiece. Gargon led the team in ground balls with four.
Cincinnati outshot Robert Morris, 26-24, and held the lead in ground balls, 23-19.
The Colonials close out their two-game road swing on Sunday, March 2, when they visit Louisville for a 1:00 p.m. showdown.
