BUZZARDS BAY, MA – The Maritime College women's lacrosse team earned its third successive dominant win to begin the 2022 season on Saturday afternoon.  With a 21-5 victory over Maine Maritime (0-4) at Massachusetts Maritime's Clean Harbors, the Privateers (3-0) clinched the Maritime Cup for the third straight time.

Maritime is undefeated in the tournament since 2018, winning the trophy in 2019-20 and 2022.  Normally an annual event, it was not held last year due to the pandemic.

Just like in their victories over Wilkes and Massachusetts Maritime, the Privateers jumped out early on Saturday.  Maritime scored the first eight goals of the game and held an 8-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.  The Privateers then extended their advantage to 15-4 at halftime.

After goals by Jenna Lesiewicz (Wading River, NY) and Sarah Malone (Calvert County, MD) to start the third quarter, the Mariners pulled within 17-5 on a goal by Beth Labbe.  The Privateers held Maine Maritime scoreless the rest of the way, however, and added four more goals of their own to close out a 21-5 win.

Gabrielle Nicolosi (West Islip, NY) led the Privateers with five goals, while Avery Jillson Neuwirth (Croton-on-Hudson, NY) tallied eight points on three goals and five assists.  Lesiewicz finished with four goals and an assist to go along with 12 draw controls and five ground balls.  Sara Wright (East Islip, NY) notched three goals, three assists, seven ground balls and six draw controls, and Tori Gay (Whiteford, MD) also collected seven ground balls.  Kiera Ford (Montgomery, NY) had a four-point game, scoring a hat trick and adding an assist.

Liz Pomaro (Farmingville, NY) (3-0) got the start in goal and earned the win.  She tallied five saves.  Tori Koenig (Roxbury, NJ) allowed just one goal and stopped two Maine Maritime shots over the final 30 minutes.

Labbe and Hazel Stoddard each scored twice for the Mariners.  Labbe also corralled five ground balls, while Stoddard was credited with four ground balls and four draw controls.  Goalkeeper Charlotte Rose (0-4) collected four ground balls and made 11 saves.

On Wednesday, the Privateers return home for their first Skyline Conference game of the season. Maritime hosts Mount St. Vincent (0-1, 0-0 Skyline) at 4 p.m., followed by the Privateer men taking on national power Wesleyan at 7 p.m.