April 7, 2006

Final Stats

AMHERST, Mass. - A combined seven goals from attack specialists Nicole Motondo and Katelyn Faas helped the St. Bonaventure women's lacrosse team to an Atlantic opening 11-8 win at Massachusetts Friday afternoon at Garber Field.

The win ups the Bonnies' mark to 8-0 overall and 1-0 in the A-10. It's the ninth with in a row for St. Bonaventure dating back to last season. The loss is the first for the Mintuewomen in an A-10 home opener, dropping them to 3-8 on the season.

The Bona offense struck early and often, as Motondo scored the first goal of the game just 1:18 in. St. Bonaventure scored four of the next six goals to take a 5-2 lead with 17:15 remaining. Faas tallied three of the four goals to record her fifth hat trick of the season, while Motondo scored the other.

UMass wasted no time in responding, as it notched a goal just nine seconds later at the 17:06 mark and another two minutes later to draw within one, at 5-4.

A pair of goals just 1:17 apart by the Bonnies lengthened the lead back to three, 7-4, with 11:29. Junior Katie Hurley lit the up the scoreboard first with an unassisted tally and followed with an assist to sophomore Kimberly Ross for the second score.

The Minutewomen closed the half with two straight goals over the final three minutes to make it a 7-6 Bonaventure lead heading into the break.

UMass carried over its momentum and tied the game 3:37 into the half.

After remaining scoreless for just over 20 minutes, the Bona attack woke up in a big way with three consecutive goals to take a commanding 10-7 lead. Senior Courtney Gibbons ended the Bona drought at the 20:40 mark off a pass from sophomore Brenna Houghton. Motondo completed her hat trick for the second goal, while Ross notched her second goal of the game to close out the three-goal spurt.

UMass drew within two, 10-8, with 2:42 remaining, but all comeback thoughts were ended as Motondo tallied her fourth goal of the contest to keep the Bonnies undefeated.

"Our intensity level was at the highest I've seen it all season", said head coach Tony Zostant. "We knew it was really important to win our first A-10 game of the season and we played hard for the entire 60 minutes."

The game was evenly played throughout, as the St. Bonaventure held a one shot advantage, 28-27, and each team gathered 32 ground balls.

Sophomore goalie Eboni Preston struggled in the first half, but responded strongly with 10 saves in the final frame. The win moves her to 4-0 in the cage this season.

Motondo gathered six ground balls to go along with her four-goal effort. Faas finished with four points as she dished out an assists to go with her hat trick. Hurley had two helpers and a goal to total three points.

St. Bonaventure returns to action on Sunday afternoon at McGraw-Jennings Field against A-10 foe La Salle. Draw time is scheduled for noon.