Farmingdale State - 19, Purchase - 7
Farmingdale, N.Y. - Junior midfielder Courtney Gendels (Wantagh, N.Y.) tallied a season-best 10 points on six goals and four assists as the Farmingdale State women's lacrosse team earned a 19-7 Skyline Conference victory over Purchase College this afternoon in Farmingdale, N.Y.
Leading 2-1 with 17:52 remaining in the first half, the Rams (3-10, 2-1) used back-to-back goals from Gendels to extend the advantage to three. After a Gabriella Castles (Bethpage, N.Y.) score pulled the Panthers (1-6, 0-3) within two, FSC's Nia Merritt (Lynbrook, N.Y.) answered with an unassisted goal to put the Rams in front, 5-2, with 10:11 left on the clock.
With just under seven minutes remaining in the first half and Farmingdale State on top by two, four unanswered goals gave the Rams a 9-3 lead. Castles responded with a free-position score followed by an unassisted goal only 18 second later to cut the deficit to 9-5 heading into the break. FSC out shot PC 20-9 in the first half and won 11-of-15 draw controls.
Farmingdale State opened the second half with scores by sophomore midfielder Haley Perez (Smithtown, N.Y.), Gendels and freshman attack Kristen Shine (Manorville, N.Y.) to take a seven-goal lead with 22:38 left to play. After an unassisted goal by PC's Maddy Mecca (Oceanside, N.Y.), the Rams followed with six straight scores, including a pair from Gendels, to go ahead, 17-6, with 10:29 on the clock.
Each team would add a late goal as Farmingdale State earned the 19-7 home victory.
Gendels fell one point shy of her career-high 11 which she recorded at Maritime last season. Sophomore attack Deanna Iannotta (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) scored two goals and had two assists, while Perez and senior midfielder Alexandra Sparrow (Levittown, N.Y.) each scored twice. Senior attack Jessica Spina (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) finished with five points on a goal and game-high four assists and junior midfielder Sam Shelton (Holtsville, N.Y.) had a goal, an assist and a game-high six draw controls for the Rams.
For the Panthers, Castles scored a team-high three goals and Mecca added two goals and a pair of assists.
Farmingdale State next will play host to conference opponent St. Joseph's-Long Island on Saturday, April 13th at noon.
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