BUFFALO, N.Y. – Freshman midfielder Roksana Debicka had a hat trick in the first half for Post University Women's Lacrosse en route to a four-goal day in their season opener against D'Youville on the road, but 12 second-half goals for the Saints would help them overcome the Eagles' three-goal lead to open their season with a 14-8 win over Post.
THE BASICS
Post University 8, D'Youville University 14
Post University (0-1)
D'Youville University (1-0)
HOW IT HAPPENED
It would not take long for graduate midfielder Cara DiStefano and Debicka to quickly insert themselves into the game and get Post on the board. DiStefano, who became the sixth Eagle in program history to join the 100 Point Club last year, scored the first goal of the 2024 campaign less than three minutes into the game on a free position shot, the goal was also DiStefano's 100th of her career.
Enter Debicka for the next two goals by Post to help them go ahead 3-1 with the first being assisted by junior attacker Sam Targonski in the first quarter and the second coming unassisted at the 13:19 mark. Just under two minutes later, sophomore midfielder Sam Newlin would cut into that lead, making it a 3-2 game before Debicka added one more to make it a first-half hat trick which was followed by a defensive stalemate where neither team scored for the rest of the half.
At the half, junior goalie Brinn Stworkzydlak had eight saves for the Saints while senior goalie Lauren Bain had just five saves on seven attempts in a half that saw just 21 combined shots be fired at both goalies and 21 combined turnovers between both sides.
After sophomore midfielder Anna D'Angelo netted her first goal of the season to open the third, the game would flip heavily in favor of the Saints. Eight unanswered goals by D'Youville, which included three of sophomore attacker Madison Handley's five second-half goals, would quickly turn a three-goal lead into a five-goal deficit for the Eagles before the middle of the fourth quarter.
By the time Targonski would score with 5:05 left in regulation, it would be too little too late for Post as Handley went to work to score two of the next three goals for the Saints which extended their lead to a game-high seven goals en route to their 14-8 win over the Eagles.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Roksana Debicka finished with a team-high four goals on six total shots and four shots on goal – Debicka finished with four points, five ground balls, two caused turnovers, and two draw controls
- Madison Handley and Sam Newlin combined for 11 of D'Youville's 14 goals in the win as Handley led the way with six goals, including five in the second half, with Newlin right behind her at five goals
- Post University is now 0-2 all-time against D'Youville University after dropping their matchup against them last year at home, 18-11
- Newcomer Amber McGee scored her first collegiate lacrosse goal at the end of the fourth quarter for Post University – McGee played four seasons on the Post University Women's Soccer team
- Cara DiStefano scored her 100th collegiate goal in the first quarter of today's game
WHO'S NEXT
Post University plays their second of four games on the road to start the 2024 campaign next Saturday against the University of the District of Columbia at 11:00 AM. The Eagles have never lost to the Firebirds, holding a perfect 4-0 record against them since 2018 with all four wins coming by 10-plus goals.