Brooklyn, N.Y. – The Long Island University women's lacrosse used a late run to pull away from Saint Francis (Pa.) and scored a season-high en route to a 20-10 win on Friday at LIU Field. The Blackbirds got a career-high six goals from freshman Ashley Prizio (Brookfield, Conn.) and pulled away after the Red Flash tied the game at 8-8 in the second half. LIU improves to 3-7 on the year and 2-3 in Northeast Conference play.

Saint Francis (Pa.) (1-6, 0-4 NEC) used a 4-1 run early in the second half to erase a 7-4 LIU lead. Meg LaMarche opened the spurt with a pair of goals sandwiched around a marker from sophomore Annie Kalata (Nesconset, N.Y.) to power SFU. A goal by Chelsea Kent capped a run of three straight for the Red Flash and tied the game at 8-8 with 23:29 to play.

LIU responded with four unanswered goals with junior Jillian Maricondo (Levittown, N.Y.) and Prizio alternating scores to open up a 12-8 lead. A goal by Kate Simmons ended the run, but the Blackbirds quickly ran off another 5-0 run. Freshman Claire Ranney (Jarrettsville, Md.) opened the run before a pair of goals from Prizio pushed the lead to 15-9. Goals by Maricondo and junior Jenna Schauder (Jackson, N.J.) opened up a 17-9 advantage for LIU.

The Red Flash got a goal back from Chelsea Kent before LIU closed the contest with three straight from Ranney, Schauder and Prizio for the final margin. The Blackbirds outscored the Red Flash, 12-2, in the final 23:29 to pull away for the victory.

Junior Christie Wienckowski (Newton Square, Pa.) scored Long Island's first three goals to open a 3-2 lead at the 15:41 mark in the first half. Goals by senior Allison Funk (Lumberton, N.J.) and Maricondo increased the margin to 5-2 before Pariss Townsend-Griffin tallied back-to-back goals for Saint Francis (Pa.). LIU responded with goals from Wienckowski and Prizio to close the half and build a 7-4 lead at halftime.

Prizio added six ground balls, while Maricondo added four goals and six ground balls and six caused turnovers of her own. Wienckowski chipped in with four goals, four ground balls and two assists, while Ranney had two goals and two assists to go with four ground balls.

Freshmen Jacqueline Simonian (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Amber Meek (Woodbridge, Va.) split time in goal and combined to make 14 saves in a solid defensive game for LIU.

The Blackbirds host Robert Morris on Sunday, April 5, at 11:00 a.m. at LIU Field.

2009-04-03