Cincinnati, Ohio -- The Robert Morris University womens lacrosse team opened the season on a high note with an 11-8 victory over Cincinnati Friday afternoon at Nippert Field. Sophomores Alana Beck (Carle Place, N.Y./Old Dominion) and Missy Sunseri (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) combined for seven points in their Colonial debuts. Beck led the offense with three goals and an assist, while Sunseri notched two scores and a helper.

Robert Morris took to the offensive early, scoring three consecutive scores in the opening 13 minutes. Junior Kara Blakeley (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) gave the Colonials a 1-0 lead on a free-position shot at 25:36, followed by scores from freshman Courtney Bertolone (Farmingville, N.Y./Sachem East) and Sunseri at 19:18 and 17:16 to stretch the advantage to 3-0.

The Bearcats would answer back though with a three-goal run of their own. A goal by Burton and two from Lindsay Marshall, who led UC with three goals, tied the game at 3-3. After a short break in the scoring, RMUs Sunseri snapped the deadlock with her second goal of the game on an unassisted play at 9:55. Cincinnati closed out the first half with three more scores including Marshalls third goal with just six seconds left in the frame.

Robert Morris outscored Cincinnati, 7-2, in the second half. The Colonials started out the stanza with a four-goal barrage to take an 8-6 lead. Beck would get the ball rolling at 26:13 with her first of the game followed by a free-position shot from freshman Ashley Trombetta (Sykesville, Md./Century) at 23:17. RMU took the lead when Beck connected on back-to-back scores off assists from juniors Jillian Howley (East Northport, N.Y./Northport) and Emily Tomlinson (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) at 23:13 and 22:59.

The home team found their offensive groove again five minutes later with a pair of goals to tie the game at 8-8, but another string of Colonial goals would prove too much for the Bearcats to handle. Blakeley scored what proved to be the game-winner on an unassisted play at 8:19. Junior Ashley Levering (Glenwood, Md./Glenelg) gave the Colonials a three-goal cushion with consecutive scores at 5:42 and 3:10, extending her 19-game point streak in the act and sealing the teams first season-opening victory in program-history.

Senior Lauren Hartsfield (Cumming, Ga./South Forsyth) went the distance in net, stopping 12 shots en route to her first-ever collegiate victory. Defensively, the Colonials were led by juniors Mary Kate Egan (Lynch, Md./Kent) and Tori Gargon (Columbia, Md./River Hill) with three caused turnovers apiece. Gargon led the team in ground balls with four. Cincinnati out-shot Robert Morris, 26-24, and held the lead in ground balls, 23-19.

The Colonials close out their two-game road swing on Sunday, March 2, when they visit Louisville for a 1:00 p.m. showdown.

2008-03-01