De Santis nets five markers in victory

BRISTOL, R.I. – The Wheaton College women's lacrosse team earned a 12-8 triumph over Roger Williams University in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday evening at Bayside Field.

Junior Charlotte De Santis (Darien, Conn./Cushing Academy) led all scorers with five goals on 12 shots (eight on goal). Senior Kristen Palmer (East Dorset, Vt./Burr and Burton Academy) contributed three markers while junior Leila Mills (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) and freshman Jenna Tewksbury (Concord, Mass./Concord) aided the offense with two goals apiece. Tewksbury also added a team-high five draw controls and one assist.

For the Hawks, junior Jessica Searl (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury) compiled a team-high three goals and one assist. Sophomores Mackenzie Logan (Sussex, N.H./Pope John XXII), Kelsey Rahilly (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow), Kristen Pingree (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown), Samantha Davenport (Bethel, Conn./Bethel) and junior Danielle Neagle (Avon, Conn./Avon) all had solo markers.

Wheaton posted its second road victory of the season outscoring Roger Williams, 6-2, after both teams entered the second half with the scored tied up at six-all. Defensively, the Lyons shut down the Hawks offense holding them to five shots in the stanza. Wheaton compiled 18 targets towards the net on the offensive end and finished the contest 13-for-14 in clear attempts (6-for-7 second half).

Logan wasted little time putting Roger Williams ahead, 7-6, to start the second half on a feed from Rahilly with her first goal of the season at the 29:38 mark. The Lyons responded with six unanswered goals (five unassisted) and never looked back.

De Santis found the back of the net at 24:14 and Palmer slipped a shot in with 19:01 on the scoreboard. Both teams were held scoreless for the next six minutes and 22-seconds until Wheaton's offense potted three-straight goals in less than a three minute span (2:17). Mills jumpstarted the scoring outbreak with her second goal of the game on a beautiful feed from senior captain Amy Moreira (Bristol, R.I./Mount Hope) at 12:39. De Santis followed with her fifth and final marker at 11:03 and Tewksbury capped the run with 10:22 on the clock. Palmer rounded out the Lyons scoring at the 8:47 mark.

Sophomore goalkeeper Katy Ananian (Belmont, Mass./Belmont) improved to 2-0 on the season for Wheaton with six saves. Senior Justine Sullivan (Norwell, Mass./Norwell) stopped 12 shots in the loss.

The Lyons (2-0, 0-0 NEWMAC) return to action on Tuesday, March 12 when they travel to Clermont, Fla. to take on Stevens Institute of Technology at 4:00 p.m. Roger Williams (1-1, 0-0 TCCC) visits Springfield College on Sunday, March 10 at 1:00 p.m.