ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop lacrosse team limited St. Francis to only one first-half goal Sunday afternoon as the Eagles downed the Red Flash 19-7 at a wet and cold Eagle Field.
Winthrop improved to 4-1 on the season and now owns a three-game winning streak while St. Francis fell to 0-2 on the year.
Senior Jenna Kasmarik led the Eagles with seven points on six goals and one assist. Junior Shannon Gallagher tallied three goals, going 2-for-2 on free-position attempts, grabbed seven draw controls and caused three turnovers. Freshmen Allie Yeager, Kristen Shriver and Jordyn Elliott each scored two goals apiece. Freshman goalie Alaina Girani allowed one goal in her 30 minutes of play, making three saves to pick up the victory.
Winthrop started strong, netting two goals in the first 90 seconds, one each from Kristen Shriver and Shannon Gallagher. St. Francis grabbed its only goal of the half 2:05 into the game from Rebecca Meyer.
Jenna Kasmarik got Winthrop back on track as the Eagles scored 10 goals over the final 25:33 of the opening half. In the opening half Allie Yeager and Jordyn Elliott each scored their first career collegiate goals. The Eagles took a 12-1 lead into the break.
The one goal allowed in the first half is the fewest allowed in a half by the Eagles in the three-year history of the program.
St. Francis got on the board first in the second half, scoring less than two minutes in. Winthrop responded with four straight goals, two from Kasmarik, one from Shriver and one from Danielle Ellis to take a 16-3 advantage. After the Red Flash pulled two goals back, the Eagles scored their final three of the contest. St. Francis tacked on three more in the final 6:19 to reach the 19-7 final.
Winthrop had an efficient offensive day, scoring its 19 goals on 27 shots. The Eagles dominated the center circle, grabbing 21 draw controls to St. Francis' seven. Winthrop was perfect on clearing attempts, going 10-for-10 and also forced 10 turnovers.
The Eagles will be in the final weekend of their six-game home stretch starting next Saturday when they host the Vermont Catamounts at 1 p.m. at Eagle Field.
