Brooklyn, N.Y. – A first half scoring drought hampered the Long Island University women's lacrosse team and allowed Robert Morris to pull away for an 18-6 victory in Northeast Conference action on Sunday morning. Sophomore Annie Kalata (Nesconset, N.Y.) accounted for three goals and a team-high three caused turnovers for the Blackbirds, who slip to 3-8 on the season and 2-4 in NEC play.

Long Island kept pace with Robert Morris in the early going with goals by junior Christie Wienckowski (Newton Square, Pa.) and Kalata kept LIU within 3-2 at the 23:32 mark. Following a pair of Colonials goals, Kalata converted a free position shot to trim the deficit to 5-3 midway through the half.

Robert Morris (6-6, 2-2 NEC) responded with an 8-1 run to close the period. Alana Beck opened the run and following a goal by Ali Gibbons, the spurt was briefly interrupted by Kalata's third goal of the day to make it 7-4 with 9:29 to play in the half. The Colonials ran off six unanswered goals from there by six different players to build a comfortable 13-4 lead at halftime.

The Blackbirds opened the second half with a flourish as freshman Ashley Prizio (Brookfield, Conn.) scored just 17 seconds into the period, but the momentum quickly changed. An apparent LIU goal was waved off for a violation, just moments later and RMU seized the opportunity by firing off four straight goals to build an insurmountable lead. Prizio scored off an assist from Wienckowski at the 16:14 mark, but it was not enough as the Colonials tacked on one more to account for the final 18-6 margin.

Freshmen Jacqueline Simonian (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Amber Meek (Woodbridge, Va.) shared time in net for the Blackbirds and each turned away five shots. LIU held a 16-10 advantage in draw controls, but were done in by 29 turnovers. Junior Jillian Maricondo (Levittown, N.Y.) led the way with five draw controls, while senior Allison Funk (Lumberton, N.J.) picked up a team-high three ground balls.

RMU held a 38-21 advantage in shots as Beck, Gibbons and Kara Blakeley each scored three goals. Ashley Levering added a goal and three assists. Erica Webb made nine saves.

The Blackbirds travel to Villanova for a non-conference contest on Tuesday, April 7.

* * * *

Brooklyn, N.Y. – April 5, 2009 – The Robert Morris University Colonials bounced back from their loss against the Sacred Heart Pioneers with a decisive 18-6 victory over the Long Island Blackbirds on Sunday afternoon at LIU field. Robert Morris led the Blackbirds for the entire game except for one minute at the beginning of the first-half when the score was knotted 1-1.

Eight Colonials tallied multiple points in the win with junior Alana Beck (Carle Place, N.Y. / Old Dominion) leading the way with a season high seven points, consisting of three goals and four assists. Senior Kara Blakeley (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine-Richland) and junior Ali Gibbons (Candia, N.H. / Manchester) also added a trio of goals in the win, while seniors Jillian Howley (East Northport / Northport), Emily Tomlinson (Springfield, Va. / West Springfield) and Jennifer Collins (Edgewater, Md. / South River) and freshman Courtney Sicinski (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West) each captured a pair of goals in the win. Sicinski also tallied two assists for a four point game and senior Ashley Levering (Glenwood, Md. / Glenelg) notched four points with one goal and three helpers.

Blakeley started things off for the Colonials with a goal at 3:21. Long Island responded quickly with a free-position goal by Christie Wienckowski less than a minute later to knot the score 1-1. This would mark the only tie score of the game and the closest the Blackbirds ever came to surpassing the Colonials.

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2009-04-05