SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College women's lacrosse team won its fifth straight game with a 17-7 Liberty League victory over St. Lawrence at Frank Bailey Field Saturday afternoon. Keri Messa (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) paced the offense with four goals and five assists, leading the Dutchwomen, who are off to their best start since the 1986 campaign.

 

Kristin Joyce (Longmeadow, Mass.) picked up three goals, while Caitlin Cuozzo (Norfolk, Mass.) tallied a pair of goals and two helpers. Chelsea Charette (South Hadley, Mass.) registered a goal and two assists, and Keelin Skurek (Massillon, Ohio) scored two goals, including one on a free position attempt.

 

The two teams traded early goals after St. Lawrence (4-2, 0-1 Liberty) got on the board first, just over four minutes into the game when Mary Jane Sweetland scored off a Kim Morse feed with 25:41 left in the half.

 

Caitlin Cuozzo evened the score less than two minutes later with a shot across the crease off a pass from Liz Zamore (South Hero, Vt.).

 

Kailtlyn Fahsel put the Saints up one with under 16 to play in the first half before Union went on a six-goal run to hold a 7-2 lead at halftime. Joyce sparked the spree and capped it after a goal by Messa and a pair from Skurek.

 

Alanna Waters opened the scoring for St. Lawrence just 28 seconds into the second half, but Union answered back with a five-goal run to hold a 12-3 lead midway through the final frame.

 

St. Lawrence rattled off three goals in less than four minutes, sparked by Julie Woosters with 14:43 left on the clock. Kim Morse picked up the other two tallies, including an unassisted score with 11:00 left.

 

Zamore's backhanded shot as she was headed away from the crease with 9:29 left to play halted the Saints' momentum, but St. Lawrence did get one more goal before Union closed out the scoring with four unanswered tallies.

 

Alanna Waters scored her second free position shot of the game with 8:23 left to play before the Dutchwomen got goals from Steph Egizi (Westwood, Mass.), Allie Cuozzo (Norfolk, Mass.), Messa and Shelby Cutter (Needham, Mass.) to close the game, 17-7.

 

Union netminder Melissa McDonald (Lynnfield, Mass.) made four saves, while Anna Marchand stopped six for St. Lawrence.

 

Union (5-0, 2-0 Liberty) has now won 11 of the last 12 regular season games, and will play next at Skidmore on Tuesday, April 1, at 7 p.m.