No. 6 West Chester Opens Season In Impressive Style

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – West Chester University's women's lacrosse team opened its 2017 slate in impressive fashion with a non-league win over visiting Holy Family Monday afternoon at Vonnie Gros Field.
 
West Chester (1-0) inked 12 different goal scorers into the books while a baker's dozen registered a point in the win over Holy Family (0-1)
 
Senior All-America attacker Ashley Pyle (Springfield, Pa./Garnet Valley) led all scorers with six points (3 goals, 3 assists). Pyle had a hand in West Chester's first four goals en route to a 22-1 victory for the hosts. Classmate Dina Cifelli (Robbinsville, N.J./Notre Dame) scored once and assisted on three others, drawing to within a pair of assists of the school's all-time mark established by Steph Kienle from 2005-08.
 
West Chester scored the first 21 goals of the game until Holy Family spoiled the shutout bid with 4:58 left in the contest. It marked the largest margin of victory and the fewest goals allowed by the Golden Rams in a game since the season opener in 2011 against West Virginia Wesleyan in Salem, Va. – a 23-0 shutout by the Rams.
 
West Chester took a 14-0 lead into halftime by jumping on the short-handed Tigers early. The Golden Rams scored six goals in the first nine minutes of the game and never looked back. Holy Family dressed just 12 players, going without any substitutes for the game.
 
Senior Kristen Vath (Milford, N.J./Delaware Valley) and freshman Tara Morrissey (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) each registered a hat trick in the win with Morrissey tacking on an assist for a four-point effort in her first college game.
 
Senior Olivia Martin (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) and freshman Tatum Altman (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) each recorded three points on the afternoon off the bench. Martin scored twice and added an assist while Altman scored once and collected a pair of assists.
 
Sami Barnett (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro), Alex Wendig (West Chester, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) and Desiree George (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley) each scored a pair of goals. Both of George's goals were rockets from at least 13 yards out.
 
Senior Carleigh MacWilliams (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) scored a goal and assisted on another while freshmen Emily Schulze (Harleysville, Pa./North Penn) and Brenna Lynch (Richboro, Pa./Archbishop Wood) each scored their first career college goals in the second half. Freshman Kasey Kelly (Windsor, N.J./Notre Dame) was the only other Golden Rams player to tally a point. She assisted on one of Martin's goals early in the second half.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Nicole Martins (1-0) (Bethlehem, Pa./Saucon Valley) started and played the first half, making two saves. Sophomore Carly Shaup (Glassboro, N.J./Clearview) played the second half and made a pair of saves.
 
West Chester's defense limited Holy Family to just five shots in the game and pressured the Tigers into 26 turnovers. The Golden Rams also held a 21-8 advantage in ground balls.
 
West Chester hosts Findlay (Ohio) on Wednesday at Vonnie Gros Field at 4 p.m.