MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Meredith Smith '17 scored four goals and dished out two assists as the Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team handed non-conference opponent Kean University its first loss of the season with a commanding 14-2 win at Smith Field Saturday afternoon.

RECORDS
Wesleyan: 2-4, 0-3 NESCAC
Kean: 6-1, 0-0 NJAC

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Saturday's game was all Wesleyan from the opening draw control as the Cardinals took an 8-0 halftime lead, and outscored the Cougars 6-2 in the second half en route to the decisive victory.
• Nine different Cardinals scored, with Smith leading the way and Martha Harding '16 and Liana Mathias '17 adding two goals each. Mathias also tallied an assist and caused a turnover. Becca Phillips '17 and Emily Gretsky '16 led Wesleyan with two ground balls and two caused turnovers each, while Nina Labovich '16 excelled in net. The senior co-captain made 13 saves in 55:50 minutes of action, and stopped eight free position shots.
• Brittany Ballack and Jordan Blanda scored Kean's two goals and were unassisted on both. Nikki Apostolopoulos made eight stops for the Cougars.
• Wesleyan held an 8-4 advantage in ground balls and 27-18 lead in shots, while Kean held a 10-8 edge in draw controls.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• It took just 1:39 for the Cardinals to get on the board as Smith found the back of the net unassisted.
• Rachel Aronow '17 put Wesleyan ahead 2-0 with 23:44 left in the first half.
• The Cardinals went on a run shortly after and scored five goals between the 17:44 mark and the 10:01 mark to help put the game out of reach, 7-0.
• In the closing seconds, Smith made an excellent pass over the defender's shoulder to an open Mathias, who sent her shot low and past Apostolopoulos' feet to give Wesleyan the 8-0 halftime advantage.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• Back-to-back Wesleyan goals from Mathias and Smith, respectively, put the home team ahead 10-0 with 24:10 to play in regulation.
• Kean tallied its first goal of the game at the 17:50 mark, but Sara Bennett '18 won the ensuing draw control and sprinted down the field and through defenders for another Wesleyan score just 16 seconds later.
• The Cardinals increased their lead to 12-1 with 12:21 to play in regulation when Harding found the back of the net, despite Wesleyan being down a player.
• Just under a minute later, the Cardinals won the draw control and Emilie Ogden-Fung '19 made an excellent pass from the right of the circle to Harding, who was standing in front of the goal, to put the home team ahead by 13.
• Blanda scored for Kean on a free position shot with 1:39 to play.
• Wesleyan would go on to win, 14-2.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Kean entered Saturday's game with a 6-0 record and had outscored its opponents, 96-19.
• Wesleyan held Kean to single-digits for the first time this season, while also becoming the first team to score double-figures against the Cougars this year.

UP NEXT

• Wesleyan returns to the field Wednesday, March 30 and will play at Babson beginning at 7 p.m.
• Kean hosts FDU-Florham Wednesday. The game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m.