FDU-FLORHAM CONTROLS KEAN WOMEN'S LACROSSE, 23-8

UNION, N.J. (3/11/08) - Junior midfielder Laura Gambardello (Pennsauken, N.J.) finished with five goals and one assist to lead FDU-Florham to a 23-8 victory over host Kean University in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Tuesday afternoon at Kean Alumni Stadium

For the Cougars (1-1), junior attack Stephanie Cirino (Warminster, Pa.) led Kean with four goals and an assist.

In the first half, the Devils (2-1) scored 12 of the game's first 13 goals en-route to a nine-goal halftime advantage.  Senior midfielder Lindsey Specht (Jackson, N.J.) and freshman midfielder Lindsey Parent (Cinnaminson, N.J.) opened the scoring in the first minute of action, netting unassisted goals just 39 seconds and 53 seconds into the contest.

Cirino (pictured left) got the Cougars on the board with 22:39 left in the first half, scoring off a free position shot to cut the deficit to 3-1, however the Devils answered with nine straight goals to build a 12-1 lead with 12:20 remaining.

The Cougars netted five of the final eight goals of the half to pull within 15-6 at halftime, as rookie Amanda South (Fairless, Pa.) had two goals. 

For the Devils, Gambardello had five goals, while junior midfielder Erin Reilly (Cinnaminson, N.J.) added four goals and an assist.  Cirino led the Cougars with two goals and an assist in the first half.

Kean scored two of the first three goals of the second half to pull within 16-8, but the Devils were too strong down the stretch, closing the game with seven unanswered goals.

In goal for the Cougars, rookie Ashlie Berghold (Boyertown, Pa.) (pictured right) made 13 saves, while FDU-Florham had three goalies combine for five saves.

Freshman Nuran Onal (Cinnaminson, N.J.) had one goals and four draw controls, while sophomore defender Chelsea Davis (Livingston, N.J.) had three groundballs, three caused turnovers and two draw controls.

In a balanced team effort for FDU-Florham, Parent had a team-high three assists to go along with two goals, while Reilly had four goals and an assist.  Sophomore attack Kristen Schuster (Centereach, N.Y.) added three goals and two assists, and Specht finished with four goals on the afternoon.

Kean returns to action on Thursday, March 13, when they host Western Connecticut State University in non-conference action at 4 p.m.