Utica, NY-- The Sage Colleges' women's lacrosse team travelled to Utica College on Wednesday afternoon for an Empire 8 match-up. The host Pioneers collected the 21-8 win to improve to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while Sage drops to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the league.
The Pioneers were led by Stephanie Husnay as she had six points on five goals and an assist and held an 11-5 lead at the break. Ten different players scored for Utica as Brooke Miller also had a hat trick with three goals in the action.
Sage's senior Torri Sperl (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) picked up seven points after collecting six goals an assist in the contest. The seven points ties her season-best for points, and also gives her a team-best 18 points on the campaign. She leads the Gators with her 15 goals and has handed out three assists. Overall on her career, Sperl is now fifth in both career goals and points. She has 53 career goals and 58 career points in her time on the field at Sage.
Sophomore attacker Anne Risler (Albany, NY/Academy of the Holy Names) and senior midfielder Ellen Abbott (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) each picked up one goal in the contest. Abbott is now tied for the No. 9 spot at Sage with her 58 career ground ball pickups.
Sophomore Brittany Gage (Pine Bush, NY/Pine Bush) also had one assist to go with her four draw controls, while senior defender Nikki Pedone (Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills Ballston Lake) added three ground ball pickups with two caused turnovers and a draw for the Gators. Gage moved into the No. 6 spot with her 42 career draws and is also now seventh all-time with her 29 caused turnovers.
Sage's rookie goalie Marina Azab (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) got the start and allowed eight goals with five saves in her 20 plus minutes of work. Junior Jenna Cislak (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) added time in goal for 12 minutes with four goals allowed before newcomer Carly Plaisance (Bennington, VT/Mount Union Anthony) saw time making 10 saves with nine goals allowed in her 27 minutes of action.
The Gators are in action again on March 31 travelling to Nazareth College for a 1:00 p.m. Empire 8 match-up.
