Strong Start Carries Eastern Past Marlins 17-14

ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – Eastern University scored eight of the first 11 goals Wednesday to defeat Virginia Wesleyan College 17-14 in non-conference women's lacrosse action.

Stephanie Hogan started the scoring for Eastern with a pair of goals in the first minute of action. Another score, this time by Anna Charlebois, at 28:36 gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the contest.

Virginia Wesleyan finally broke through at 27:46 when Abby Shope found the back of the next. Following two more Eastern scores, Shope converted again to cut the deficit to 5-2.

Charlebois scored to make it 6-2 before Shope tallied another goal at 21:31, giving her a hat trick less than nine minutes into the game.

Eastern ran the lead to 8-3 before Virginia Wesleyan ended the Eagle run with three goals to cut the margin to 8-6. Becca Winslow, Ashley Winslow, and Megan Schallock all scored in the spurt.

Becca Winslow scored two more goals in the first half, matching Shope with opening-period hat tricks.

Eastern scored the final two goals of the half to take a 12-8 lead into intermission before tallying the first two scores of the second half as well for a 14-8 lead. The Marlins outscored the Eagles 6-3 the rest of the way, but could get no closer than two as Schallock cut the deficit to 16-14 with 8:42 to play.

Charlebois led Eastern (1-7) with six goals and two assists, while Hogan and Julie Haggan had five goals each. In total, the three scored 16 of Eastern's 17 goals.

Becca Winslow led the Marlins with four goals and an assist while Schallock, Ashley Winslow, and Shope each tallied three goals. Shope also added a team-high two assists as Madison Carroll recorded 17 saves.

Virginia Wesleyan (2-6/1-0) hosts Washington and Lee University (3-5/1-0) on April 2 at 1 p.m. in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action.