NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Southern Connecticut State University lacrosse team defeated Saint Michael's, 11-9, in a Northeast 10 Conference matchup at Jess Dow Field on Saturday, March 26, 2022. With the win, the Owls improve to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the NE10, while the Purple Knights fall to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the NE10.

Karlie Rowe (Niantic, Conn.) had a huge performance for the Owls, as she scored a game-high five goals and dished out three assists to tally eight total points in the game, just two shy from tying the single-game program record. Alexandra Ruel (Ivoryton, Conn.) and Bayleigh Takacs (Sparta, N.J.) also scored two goals each, while Jordan Fisher (Lagrangeville, N.Y.) had two assists. Mia Pulisciano (Cheshire, Conn.) and Brianna Shaw (Branford, Conn.) also scored one goal each and Kelly Jagodzinski (Stamford, Conn.) had one assist. Liney White (Madison, Conn.) and Sarah Robbins (Farmingdale, N.Y.) caused four turnovers, while Robbins scooped up three ground balls. Sophie Kurtz (Cheshire, Conn.) recorded nine saves in the game. 

How It Happened 
First Quarter

• Saint Michael's scored early in the opening quarter, taking the first lead of the game within three minutes of play. Ruel scored on a free-position shot and Rowe gave Southern the lead at the 7:01 mark with her first goal of the game. 
• Back-to-back goals by Saint Michael's gave the Purple Knights a 3-2 lead. Shaw tied the game after scoring off a pass from Rowe, but Saint Michael's tacked on another goal before the end of the quarter to take a 4-3 lead.

Second Quarter

• Southern's defense stifled Saint Michael's in the second quarter, as they held the Purple Knights to just one goal.
• Jagodzinksi made a nice pass to Rowe as she cut towards the goal, and she scored to tie the game at four in the opening minutes of the quarter. Saint Michael's only goal of the quarter came at the 9:48 mark, and gave them a 5-4 lead.
• Takacs tied the game almost immediately after by alertly stepping in front of a pass from Saint Michael's goalkeeper and scoring after the turnover.
• Both teams held each other scoreless for the final eight minutes of the quarter, and the game remained tied at five heading into halftime.

Third Quarter

• Southern again struck early in the quarter, as Rowe connected with Pulisciano for a goal to give Southern the lead. Saint Michael's tied it at six a minute later on a free-position goal, but Southern's defense again remained strong and held Saint Michael's scoreless for the final 12 minutes of the third.
• The Owls ripped off four consecutive goals in a span of four minutes to take a 10-6 lead. Rowe scored three-straight goals on her own, with the second assisted by Fisher. Ruel capped off the scoring run with a goal, with Fisher picking up her second assist.

Fourth Quarter

• Saint Michael's scored the first two goals of the final quarter to cut their deficit down to 10-8. Takacs gave Southern some breathing room with a goal, off an assist from Rowe, with 10:30 remaining. 
• The Purple Knights scored again with 2:48 remaining to make it 11-9. After a yellow card and a turnover by Southern in the final two minutes, Saint Michael's had a chance to cut into the deficit further in their attempt to tie the game. Kurtz made two huge saves to close out the game, and a caused turnover by Hannah Holmes (Colchester, Conn.) helped seal the win.

Notes

• Rowe recorded her second career game with at least five goals. The last time she did came on March 30, 2019 against Franklin Pierce, when she scored seven. 
• Rowe's five goals scored were the most by a Southern player since Hailey Gordon scored five against Dominican on Feb. 23, 2020, and the most in an NE10 conference game since Samantha Cozzolino scored six against Stonehill on April 27, 2019.
• Rowe also set a new career-high in points in a game with eight, two points shy of tying Allison Kownacki's program record of 10, done on March 27, 2007. The last player with at least eight points in a game before Rowe was Takacs on Feb. 29, 2020 against Post.
• Rowe became the fifth player in program history with at least eight points in an NE10 game. She joined joining Kownacki (March 27, 2007 against AIC, April 12, 2008 against Bryant, April 23, 2008 against Assumption, April 5, 2008 against Franklin Pierce), Cozzolino (April 13, 2018 against Southern New Hampshire, March 24, 2019 against Saint Michael's, April 27, 2019 against Stonehill) Carolynn Keal April 13, 2018 against Southern New Hampshire) and Nicole Healey on April 1, 2017 against Saint Anselm. 
• Rowe set a new career-high with three assists.
• Takacs now has recorded 41 goals, and has recorded at least one point in 21 consecutive games dating back to April 13, 2019.
• Takacs has scored in every game so far this season, and has scored at least two goals in three consecutive games and in five of Southern's six games. 
• Ruel recorded her first game this season with two goals scored.
• Shaw has scored a goal in every game so far this season. 
• Fisher also recorded a new career-high with two assists. 
• White tied a career-high with four caused turnovers, last done on April 19, 2021 vs Saint Rose. 
• Robbins had her second game this season with at least four caused turnovers (March 2, 2022 vs Post, five). 
• Southern has won three consecutive games against Saint Michael's, their longest win streak in the matchup's history. 
• Southern allowed just nine goals to Saint Michael's, tied for the fewest allowed by Southern to the Purple Knight's all-time (also, March 24, 2016). 
• Southern has won their first two games of the season at Jess Dow Field for the first time since 2017. 

Up Next
Southern will host American International College on Wednesday, March 30 at 4:00 p.m. at Jess Dow Field.