The Elizabethtown College women’s lacrosse team gave the home fans something to be excited about in their season opener, dominating the Gwynedd Mercy University Griffins 20-4. It seemed as if the team didn’t have any rust to shake off as they look to be a force to be reckoned with this season. From top to bottom everyone on the team was ready to kick off the new season, clicking on both the offensive and defensive end. The Blue Jay attack was relentless, led by first-year Ella Scholes who netted a team-high six goals and senior Megan Gress who found the back of the net five times herself. The defense was just as strong, as senior goalie Rachel Murphy made eight saves on 10 shots in 54 minutes, and junior goalie Molly Kleinert added another save in seven minutes of play, combining to hold the Griffins to just four goals.
As soon as the first quarter of the new year opened, the Blue Jays were off and running. They showcased a perfect all-around performance in the quarter, scoring seven goals in the first 15 minutes and shutting down the Griffins on the other end. Following a forced turnover within the first minute of play, Etown quickly pressured the opposing net, and after a few missed tries, took the lead with a goal from senior midfielder Lauren Puntanen. They’d hold that lead from that point on, controlling possession and pestering the Griffin offense anytime they had a chance.
The second quarter was much of the same. Their feistiness on defense continued, allowing just two shots on net throughout the period. While Etown would concede their first goal, they would add another five goals, including a last second goal to make it 12-1 going into the half.
Gwynedd Mercy got off to a hot start in the second half. They rallied off a few shot attempts early in the third period and would make it 12-2 just four minutes in. That would be all the momentum the Griffins would find however, as the Blue Jays soared out into a bigger lead, going on a four-goal run to end the quarter. Scholes continued her strong Blue Jay debut and added two goals in this four-goal stretch.
Etown would carry this strong play into the final 15 minutes, outscoring the Griffins once more in the quarter 4-2. They’d start the period with three straight goals going into the final five minutes of regulation. While Gwynedd Mercy would add two more late, the Blue Jays ended the game on a high note with one more goal from Scholes, as the team dropped a 20-piece in their opener.
Coming out of the game, everyone was extremely happy with the way the team played. Gress spoke on this and what contributed to the strong game.
“We connected really really well,” she said. “Obviously there’s a lot to work on, but this is an amazing start for us. We had a good week of practice coming into this game and that helped with our confidence a ton.”
Another key contributor was the way the first-years played. The newcomers weren’t phased by their first game of college ball, helping lead their team to a win.
“They had the most seamless transition into college lacrosse,” Gress said. “They probably had some nerves, but I couldn’t tell at all and they fit in right away with the team.”
Up next, the Blue Jays take on Albright College at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22 in Reading, Pa.
