Box Score

EDINBORO, PA – The IUP women's lacrosse team is off to its best start in program history as the Crimson Hawks moved to 5-0 with a 21-6 road win at Edinboro on Saturday afternoon.

Nine different Crimson Hawks threaded the net as IUP got multiple-goal games from Alexa Lodovici (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional), Colleen Berlin (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame), Sarah Ward (Murrysville/Franklin Regional ), Michelle Zakrzewski (Purcellville, VA/Loudoun Valley) and Drew Hayden (Gibsonia/Pine Richland).

The fifth win to start the season bests the previous mark of four straight set in 2000, just the third year of the program.

In addition to the Crimson Hawks strong offensive effort, the defense was also impressive as IUP outshot the Fighting Scots 37-16 on the day, including 33-9 with shots on goal.

Chelsey Hipp (Clarksville, MD/Good Counsel) and Kaitlin Sterling (Cranberry Twp./Seneca Valley) again split time in goal, picking up a combined three saves while Sterling was credited with the win.

IUP outscored the Fighting Scots 12-4 in the first half getting a pair of 4-0 runs as the Crimson Hawks took an 8-1 lead at the 10:32 mark of the stanza. Berlin, Zakrzewski and Hayden each scored two goals in the hot start.

Edinboro (4-3, 0-2) added three more goals in the last 10 minutes before the half but IUP scored four during that time to keep an eight-goal lead.

The Fighting Scots opened up the second half with two goals in the first 7:14 to close the gap to six but the Crimson Hawks responded with nine unanswered goals the rest of the way to lock up the 15-point victory.

Lodovici scored four goals and added three assists while Berlin also netted four goals. Ward, Zakrzewski, and Hayden each added three goals apiece while Brenna Gallagher (Evans City/Seneca Valley), Brittany Palardy, Amy Weinberg (Clarksville, MD/Atholton) and Lillienne Kane (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley) also scored.

Lodovici and Paige Beierschmitt (Eastampton Township, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) each collected four ground balls while Gallagher and Taylor Norwood (Chantilly, VA/Chantilly) caused two turnovers apiece. Norwood also had a team-high three draw controls.

The Crimson Hawks, also 2-0 in PSAC play, will host Shippensburg in their home opener on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.