RU Women's Lax Routs Bucknell 18-1
Mar 23 | Women's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, NJ - Under a cold, wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow, the Rutgers women's lacrosse team got off to a hot start and never looked back, cruising to an 18-1 victory against Bucknell in a weather-shortened contest Wednesday evening at the snow-covered Rutgers Stadium Complex. The win is the third-straight for the Scarlet Knights, improving their record to 3-2 overall. Bucknell falls to 2-6 with the loss.
The game began under rainy skies but as the temperature dropped, the precipitation changed over to freezing rain, slush then snow, blanketing the playing field. With 11:14 remaining and the contest recorded as an official game, the game's officials made the decision to call the game due to the inclement weather and a playing surface that was worsening by the minute. The Scarlet Knights held a commanding 18-1 advantage at the time.
Rutgers jumped on Bucknell early and often, scoring 28 seconds into the contest. Sophomore Katie Batiuk (Jackson, NJ) registered an unassisted goal shortly after the game began and junior Emily Widrick (Carthage, NY) followed with an unassisted goal of her own less than a minute later. Rutgers scored the first 14 goals of the game. RU had a 9-0 halftime advantage.
Batiuk ended the evening with a game-high four goals and one assist. Fellow sophomore Anne Marchitello (Medford Lakes, NJ) and freshmen Kate Shomo (Medford Lakes, NJ) each had three goals for the Scarlet Knights and Valerie Depelteau (Princeton Junction, NJ)added two scores. Shomo added an assist of a Batiuk goal early in the second half. Wednesday's two goals by Depelteau marked her first career collegiate points. Wednesday was Depelteau's and fellow freshman Jessica Fox's (Marlton, NJ) first collegiate action. Fellow freshman Rachel Bruce scored the Knights' final goal.
Junior Kathleen Holley (Pottstown, PA) rounded out Rutgers' multiple-goal scorers with a pair of first-half goals.
Senior Lindsay Rising (Malvern, PA) recorded a goal and three assists on the evening. She set up sophomore Jamie Farewell's (Medford Lakes, NJ) lone goal of the contest early in the first half.
Senior goalie Lyndsey Feldman (Ft. Myers, FL) was not tested much, ending the game with six saves. It marks the first game this season Feldman, the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week the past two weeks, has not recorded at least 10 saves in a game. She was bidding for the shutout when Bucknell scored its lone goal of the game with 18:47 remaining in the contest. Molly Aufiero scored the Bison's only goal.
Bucknell's Lizzy McDaniel played the majority of the game between the posts, stopping six shots, while allowing 15 goals. She was replaced by Kristin Gaines for the final 6:33. Gaines did not make a save, surrendering three scores.
Rutgers outshot Bucknell 29-7, forcing 11 Bison turnovers and recording 15 ground balls to Bucknell's six.
The win improves Rutgers' all-time record against Bucknell to 11-1. Wednesday's 18 goals against Bucknell is the most goals in a game and the largest margin of victory by Rutgers since a 21-2 win against Manhattan during head coach Laura Brand's first season in 2003.
The Scarlet Knights return to BIG EAST action with a showdown with No. 8 Georgetown on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be contested at either the Rutgers Stadium Complex or Yurcak Field, depending on weather conditions.
