2016 Southern Connecticut State University Women's Lacrosse Notes  - Games 16-17
Southern Connecticut (3-12, 1-10 NE-10) vs. AIC (8-7, 5-6 NE-10)
April 26 • New Haven, Conn. • 6 p.m.
SCSU at So. New Hampshire (11-4, 7-4 NE-10)
April 30 • Manchester, N.H. • 1 p.m.

Complete Game Notes as a PDF

A SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
The 2016 season comes to a close this week for the Southern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team with a pair of games. The Owls host American International on Wednesday evening before hitting the road to face Southern New Hampshire on Saturday.

SENIOR SENDOFF
The Owls will recognize their two seniors - Lauren Anderson and Jennifer McCarthy - prior to Wednesday's game against the Yellow Jackets.

LAST TIME OUT
Senior Lauren Anderson registered her first collegiate hat trick to lead the Southern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team in a 20-10 loss to No. 2 nationally ranked LeMoyne on Saturday.
• Nicole Healey also connected for three goals for the Owls, while Samantha Cozzolino and Jennifer McCarthy both scored twice. Carolynn Keal added two assists in the game.
• Anderson sandwiched a pair of goals around a tally from Erica Geremia to give the Owls a 2-1 lead just over seven minutes into play. The Dolphins scored the next three goals before Healey scored to cut the gap to 4-3. LeMoyne followed with four consecutive goals until Healey snapped the run with her second of the day. LeMoyne finished the half with three straight tallies to extend the lead to 11-4 at the break.
• A goal from Geremia just over two minutes into the second half stretched the visitors' advantage to 12-4. However, Southern countered by scoring three of the next four goals – one from Anderson followed by a pair from Cozzolino – to close within 13-7. However, the Dolphins scored seven of the final 10 goals of the game to make it a 20-10 final.
• Chelsea Callahan stopped a dozen shots for the Owls in the game.

AMONG THE NE-10 LEADERS
Entering the week, three Owls currently rank among the Northeast-10 Conference statistical leaders. Carolynn Keal is No. 2 in the league in groundballs and fourth in caused turnovers. Nicole Healey ranks third in draw controls, while Brianna Grande is ninth in caused turnovers.

ALL-TIME VS. AIC
AIC holds an 11-4 edge in the all-time series between the two schools.

THE LAST MEETING WITH AIC
Nicole Healey registered a career-high six points (five goals, one assist) in a losing effort as the Southern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team dropped a 20-18 decision to American International on April 14, 2015.
• Senior Sarah Muise posted five points (four goals, one assist) while freshman Emma Farrel scored four times as well for the Owls.
• Carolynn Keal and Jennifer McCarthy also scored two goals apiece for the Owls in the game.
• Muise had three goals and an assist in the opening half and the teams went into the intermission deadlocked at 7-7. SCSU had trailed 7-3 but scored the final four goals of the stanza - two by Muise and one each from Keal and Farrel.
• After the teams traded goals to start the second half, AIC took control with four straight goals to take a 12-8 lead. Back-to-back goals from Healey cut the gap to two at 12-10, but the Yellow Jackets scored the next three goals for a 15-10 cushion. The lead eventually ballooned to 20-14 with just over five minutes to go before the Owls scored the final four goals of the game.

ALL-TIME VS. SNHU
Southern New Hampshire leads the all-time series with the Owls by a 12-1 margin.

THE LAST MEETING WITH SNHU
The Southern Connecticut State University women's lacrosse team held the lead late in regulation, but visiting Southern New Hampshire connected for the final four goals of the game to capture a 13-11 win over the Owls on April 25, 2015.
• Sarah Muise posted a team-high four goals in the contest. Carolynn Keal scored one goal and set up three others. Jennifer McCarthy and Taylor Portelinha each scored twice, while Lauren Anderson had two assists.
• Trailing 8-5 with just under 23 minutes remaining, the Owls offense took over. Southern scored six of the next seven goals. A pair from Muise and single tallies from McCarthy and Keal gave the Owls a 9-8 lead before SNHU tied it briefly. Nicole Healey and Muise then answered to put SCSU in front, 11-9, with just over 11 minutes remaining.
• Kennedy Daziel netted the tying goal for the Penmen with 2:38 remaining and Alexa Allen scored only 57 seconds later to put the visitors in the lead for good. A goal in the waning seconds made it a two-goal final.
• Southern scored the first three goals of the game – McCarthy, Muise and Emma Farrel found the back of the net. SNHU cut it to 3-2 before Portelinha responded with her first of the day. After another SNHU goal, Portelinha scored again to restore the two-goal cushion.
• The Owls led 5-4 at the break, but the Penmen scored the first four goals of the second half to build an 8-5 lead.

KEAL BECOMES ALL-TIME ASSIST LEADER
Sophomore Carolynn Keal moved past former Owl Grace Martha with her 23rd career helper in the game at Assumption to take over first place on the all-time assist chart. In addition, Nicole Healey is now in sole possession of fourth place on the list with 18 assists.

OWLS ON THE CUSP
Of Southern's 12 losses this year, seven have come by a combined differential of 13 goals.

HEALEY'S HAT TRICK HAPPY
Nicole Healey has recorded a hat trick in nine of the Owls' 15 games so far this season. She also has recorded multiple point efforts in 13 of 15 contests.

FINDING THE NET
The offensive tandem of Nicole Healey and Samantha Cozzolino has provided a key spark through Southern's first 15 games of the year. Healey leads the Owls in goals (37), assists (8) and points (45), while Cozzolino is first among Southern rookies in goals (23), assists (3) and points (26). 

GRANDE ACCLIMATING QUICKLY
Freshman defender Brianna Grande is second on the team with 19 caused turnovers and with 31 groundballs this year.

CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR
The Owls were either tied or had the lead for the bulk of their 120 minutes of action against nationally ranked Bentley and Stonehill during the week of April 4. In fact, the Owls led in the second half of both games before ultimately coming up short.

POSTING A PROGRAM FIRST
The Owls registered their first shutout in program history on March 17 against Post. Goalie Chelsea Callahan stopped all three shots on net in order to notch the shutout. Southern's previous low for goals allowed was four, set on three occasions.

QUICK PROGRESS 
The Owls needed just seven games in 2016 to match their win total from last year.

HEALEY NAMED TO NE-10 WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Nicole Healey was named to the Northeast-10 weekly honor roll on March 21 for her play in the games against Dowling, Post and St. Thomas Aquinas. Healey led Southern with 12 points (nine goals, three assists) during the week.

QUITE A WAY TO FINISH
Nicole Healey capped her hat trick in the opener with the game-winning goal on a free position shot in overtime to give Southern the win.

A STRONG DEBUT
Freshman Alexandra Takacs turned away eight shots to earn the win between the pipes in her collegiate debut against Merrimack.

IN SEASON OPENERS
With the win against Merrimack, the Owls now hold a 2-13 record in season openers. The win was over American International College in 2007. 

GOOD GROUP BACK
Southern Connecticut has 13 student-athletes returning from last year's team.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB
The Owls welcome seven newcomers to the team for the 2016 season - Brianna Grande, Tessa McNaboe, Olivia Murray, Samantha Cozzolino, Kennedy Hanks, Alexandra Takacs and Chelsea Callahan.

THE CAPTAINS
Seniors Lauren Anderson and Jennifer McCarthy and junior Lindsey Luposello will serve as team captains for the 2016 season. 

IN THE NORTHEAST-10 PRESEASON POLL
Southern Connecticut was selected 13th in the Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.