The University of Rhode Island women’s lacrosse team won its first road games in program history this week, with convincing victories over Fairleigh Dickinson University and Stonehill College.
The University of Rhode Island traveled to Teaneck, New Jersey to take on Fairleigh Dickinson University on Saturday afternoon, winning 14-7. The game featured two of the newest NCAA Division I lacrosse programs. Rhode Island, in its first season of Division I competition, and Fairleigh Dickinson, in its third season.
Second-year Danielle McHugh scored once in each quarter, leading a balanced offense for Rhode Island. After Fairleigh Dickinson led 3-2 following a back-and-forth first quarter, Rhode Island dominated the rest of the way to secure its first ever road win in program history.
Fairleigh Dickinson opened the scoring four minutes in with third-year Brielle McInaw finding the back of the net. The teams traded leads twice in the first quarter. Back-to-back free-position goals by Rhode Island’s second-year Caralie Basuel and McHugh gave the Rams their first lead.
The Knights responded less than a minute later, as first-year Adriana Mavlios scored off an assist from third-year Riley Eaton. Fairleigh Dickinson took a 3-2 lead with 1:43 remaining in the quarter after McInaw’s second goal.
Rhode Island controlled the second quarter, scoring four unanswered goals. McHugh netted her second goal to start the run, and fifth-year Caitlin Dellecave followed with a goal at 11:04 to put Rhode Island ahead 4-3. Basuel added another free-position goal, and second-year Brinley Myers capped the half by scoring on a breakaway with just under four minutes left, making it 6-3.
Myers scored again 90 seconds into the second half, and a free-position goal by first-year MJ Timpanaro stretched the Rams’ run to six straight goals. Fairleigh Dickinson ended the run in the third, with Eaton scoring a free-position goal to make it 8-4. The goal snapped a scoreless stretch of nearly 20 minutes for the Knights. Each team added one more goal in the quarter, sending the teams to the final period with Rhode Island leading 9-5.
McHugh’s fourth goal early in the fourth quarter gave the Rams a five-goal lead. FDU’s third-year Julia Corry responded with a goal off an assist from McInaw. The Knights regained possession after a green card on the ensuing draw control, but failed to capitalize. Rhode Island’s second-year Calli Dunn extended the lead to 11-6 with a goal. McHugh then scored her fifth goal at 5:57 to seal the victory.
On Wednesday afternoon, Rhode Island powered through Stonehill, defeating the Skyhawks 18-5 in its non-conference finale.
The Rams set the tone early, scoring three goals within the first six minutes. McHugh, Basuel and Dunn each found the back of the net in quick succession. By the end of the first quarter, Rhode Island had a commanding 5-0 lead, with Myers adding her first goal of the game and Dunn netting her second before the period concluded.
“It’s a lot of prep and practice,” first-year midfielder MJ Timpanaro said. “My teammates and I work together, and I couldn’t do it without them.”
The onslaught continued into the second quarter. Stonehill briefly cut the deficit to 5-1 with a goal in the opening minute, but Rhode Island responded with eight unanswered goals. By the seven-minute mark in the second period, the Rams had established an 11-1 advantage, triggering a running clock for the remainder of the contest. Myers’ second goal of the game pushed the lead to double digits, and URI maintained that cushion for the rest of the match.
“We’re just trying to stack success on success,” URI Head Coach Jenna Slowey said. “We’re comparing ourselves to who we were yesterday, and I think we can wholeheartedly say we got better today.”
The Rams will start Atlantic 10 Conference play on the road again against the University of Massachusetts at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
