Despite adverse weather conditions including rain, sleet, and snow, the Siena women’s lacrosse team delivered a remarkable performance on Saturday afternoon at Hickey Field. Facing off against MAAC newcomer Rider, the Saints showcased their dominance with a commanding 22-4 victory. This win not only secured a decisive triumph but also established a new program record for the largest margin of victory in the team’s 28-year history.
Previously, the largest margin of victory for the Siena women’s lacrosse team had been 17 goals, achieved on two separate occasions. However, Sarah Irish’s goal in the final three seconds of the game extended the lead to 18, ensuring the establishment of a new record.
Furthermore, this victory also matched a program record for the most goals scored in a single game, with the team reaching the 22-goal mark previously achieved against Hartford on March 13, 2019.
Siena, boasting a season record of 6-3 and a 1-0 standing in the MAAC, showcased dominance across various aspects of the game. Particularly noteworthy was their exemplary performance in draw controls, as they asserted an iron grip by winning an impressive 26 out of 30 draws as a team.
On an individual level, senior Taryn Asselin made history by setting a new single-game program record for most draw controls with an impressive tally of 15. This achievement marked Asselin’s remarkable consistency, as she had previously tied the record earlier in the season during a win against Le Moyne on March 2. Additionally, she came close to breaking the record when she secured 12 draw controls in a win against the then #18 ranked Army West Point team on Feb. 17.
Despite being in their inaugural season of women’s lacrosse, the Broncos displayed a strong start to their campaign, boasting a 6-3 overall record and a 0-1 standing in the MAAC. Notably, they featured Katie Walsh, the MAAC’s leading player in draw controls and one of the top scorers in the conference. However, Walsh’s formidable scoring prowess was contained by the Saints, as she was limited to just two draw controls and one goal in the matchup against them
In terms of offense, junior Grace Dobrzynski led the Saints with an outstanding eight-point performance, comprising two goals and a career-high six assists. Additionally, junior Kelly Logue reached a milestone in her career, surpassing 100 points with a six-point outing consisting of three goals and three assists.
Siena dominated early, establishing a commanding 7-1 lead by the end of the first quarter, with freshman Olivia Nicholson and senior Rebecca Gilhooley each contributing two goals.
Maintaining their momentum, the Saints continued to press forward, outscoring the Broncs 6-2 in the second quarter, extending their lead to 13-3 by halftime.
In the second half, Siena remained relentless, outpacing the Broncs with a further 9-1 advantage. A total of twelve different Saints contributed to the scoring, with three players achieving hat tricks, including Logue, Nicholson, and Gilhooley.