NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Southern Connecticut State University lacrosse team defeated American International College, 13-12, in a Northeast 10 Conference matchup  on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at Jess Dow Field. With the win, Southern improves to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the NE10, while AIC drops to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in the NE10. Southern also started the season 3-0 at Jess Dow Field for the first time in program history.

Eight different players scored goals for Southern, and four plays scored at least two goals. The Owls were again led by Karlie Rowe (Niantic, Conn.), who scored three goals and had three assists. Bayleigh Takacs (Sparta, N.J.) scored two goals and had two assists, while Savannah Feinberg (Sound Beach, N.Y.) had two goals and an assist. Amelia Mansfield (Yalesville, Conn.) scored her first two goals of her career. Kelly Jagodzinski (Stamford, Conn.) and Mia Pulisciano (Cheshire, Conn.) both recorded a goal and assist each, while Jettke Gray (Easton, Conn.) and Brianna Shaw (Branford, Conn.) scored one goal each. Tess McIntosh (Fairfield, Conn.) caused three turnovers to lead the team, while Jagodzisnki had six draw controls. 

Rileigh Bunton (Pelham, N.H.) recorded her first career-win and had 18 saves in the game. 

How It Happened
First Quarter

• Both teams played to an even 3-3 tie in the first 15 minutes of play. AIC scored the first two goals to take an early lead before Southern answered back.
• Rowe got the scoring started for Southern after she took a pass from Pulisciano. Mansfield then followed that up with a goal on a free-position shot with 8:52 remaining in the quarter. 
• AIC retook the lead with a goal, but Takacs tied the game at three with a goal with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter. 

Second Quarter

• Southern played lockdown defense in the quarter, as they allowed just one goal scored in the second. Bunton saved 11 shots in the quarter to help Southern outscore AIC 3-1. 
• The Owls took their first lead of the game early in the second after Jagodzinski scored off a pass from Rowe. AIC scored their only goal of the second to tie the game with 5:27 left. Mansfield scored her second goal of the game after cutting towards the next and taking a pass from Rowe, who recorded her second assist. 
• Pulisciano scored on a free-position shot with 13 seconds remaining to give Southern a 6-4 halftime lead. 

Third Quarter

• Both teams exchanged goals in the opening minutes of the half, with Rowe scoring her second goal of the game as Takacs made a nice pass to split through the defense to find her. 
• With the score 7-5, Southern rattled off four consecutive goals, including three in a span of 61 seconds, to take their largest lead of the game at 11-5. Shaw and Jagodzinski connected for a goal to begin the run, then Feinberg scored back-to-back goals in 38 seconds to extend the lead. Feinberg's first goal was on a free-position shot, and Rowe assisted on the second.
• Gray capped off the run with a goal as Takacs recorded her second assist of the quarter.
• AIC responded with three-straight goals to end the quarter, but Southern led 11-8 heading into the final 15 minutes.

Fourth Quarter

• AIC scored the first goal of the quarter with 10:02 remaining to give them four straight and cut the lead down to two
• Rowe and Takacs scored back-to-back goals for Southern to give the Owls some breathing room with five minutes remaining. Rowe's goal was on a free-position shot, while Feinberg assisted on Takacs' to give Southern a 13-9 lead. 
• AIC again continued to fight back, as they scored two straight goals to cut the lead down to two again. Another goal by the Yellow Jackets with 44 seconds remaining cut the lead down to one. 
• AIC won the ensuing draw control and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds. Southern was able to force a loose ball to disrupt the Yellow Jackets' offense, and a last second shot by AIC was saved by Bunton to lock up a one-goal victory.

Notes

• Rowe continued her solid home stand with her second consecutive game with at least three goals and six points. 
• Rowe became the first player with consecutive six-point games since Samantha Cozzolino did so on March 21, 2019 against Post (six), and March 24, 2019 against Saint Michael's (nine). 
• Rowe has scored at least three goals in five of Southern's seven games this season and now has 75 for her career. 
• Mansfield's two goals were the first of her career. 
• Feinberg recorded her second game of her career with at least two goals. The first of her career also came against AIC, in her first career game on March 31, 2021. 
• Takacs has recorded multiple goals in four consecutive games and in six of Southern's seven games this season and has recorded at least one point in 22 consecutive games dating back to April 13, 2019.
• Takacs also recorded her 30th and 31st career assists during the game, making her the fifth player in program history with at least 30 career assists. She is four away from tying Kennedy Sherman for fourth all-time. 
• Takacs and Shaw have scored in every game so far this season. 
• Jagodzinski scooped up a season-high three ground balls and recorded a season six assists. 
• McIntosh tied her career-high in caused turnovers with three, last done on Feb. 29, 2020 vs Post. 
• Bunton's 18 saves were a new career-high, and the most for Southern since Laura Morton also had 18 on April 2, 2019 against Adelphi. 
• Bunton also tied the single-game high in saves in the NE10 this season. Gabriella Buscemi of New Haven had 18 saves vs Franklin Pierce on March 19, 2022. 
• Southern recorded a season-high eight assists.
• Southern is 3-0 at Jess Dow Field for the first time in program history.
• Southern's three wins already this season are the most for the program since 2018. 
• With win's over Saint Michael's and American International, Southern has won back-to-back conference games for the first time in program history. 

Up Next
Southern will travel to Franklin Pierce on Saturday, April 2nd to play the Ravens at 1:00 p.m.