FAIRFIELD, CT - Iona women's lacrosse program opened the MAAC Championship earlier this morning against the eight seeded Marist Red Foxes. It was a hard fought battle by both teams and went down to the wire. Marist was able to come out on top, 11-10. 

Senior Sara Stewart and junior Katherine Meyer combined for seven of the ten goals by the Gaels. The other three came from Megan Collins, Emma Rippon, and Amber Brewster. The Maroon & Gold assisted on six goals with Stewart and Gabriele Thornton each having two. As a team Iona took 38 shots with 28 of them on goal. 

Senior Elyse Darcy got the start in net for the Gaels, She played all 60 minutes letting in 11 goals and made 11 saves. As a team they notched 23 ground balls, caused four turnovers and controlled eight draws. 

GAME SUMMARY

The Red Foxes won the opening draw and 67 seconds later they found the back of the net to open the scoring. Marist won the next draw as well and in an even shorter amount of time and they were looking at a two goal lead. #36 Sara Stewart got the Maroon & Gold on the board off an assist from Leah Marshall. Meyer knotted up the score at 2-2 with a goal at the 26:51 mark. 

The offense went cold over the next 6 minutes, but both goalies made multiple saves to keep it tied at two. Iona took their first lead of the game at 20:30 off Collins fourth of the season. Marist answered two minutes later, which brought us to our first media timeout. After the timeout the offenses were cold once again until Marist jumped back in front off a Mehalick score. 

Meyer found the equalizer once again, finding the back of the net at the 12 minute mark. The next 10 minutes of the first half was empty with goals but not empty with the opportunities. With three minutes left before the halftime break Marist were able to head to the locker room with a one goal lead. 

Iona offense came out of the half time break on all cylinders, Stewart scored the first two goals of the half in the first two minutes to give the Gaels their second lead of the game. The Red Foxes scored the next three goals of the game and were able to extend their lead to two. 

The Maroon & Gold were able to answer back and score the next two, one from Alexa Skoubas and Stewarts fourth of the game to make it a 8-8 game. Marist went on their third 2-0 run of the game, Iona got it back to a one goal game with a beautiful tick tack goal by Meyer. 

The next three goals went in order, one to Iona, one to Marist and one again to Iona. Over the last seven minutes the Gaels were looking for the equalizer. They were able to get a last shot off with :35 seconds but the net minder for Marist stood tall once again. 

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Iona's eight turnovers were the fewest in a game this season, and first time in single digits since Feb 2016 at Brown.
• Alexa Skoubas her first collegiate goal today. 
• Gaels first MAAC Championship game since 2018. 
• Sara Stewart set a new season high with 18 goals.
• Today's game was the third time the Maroon & Gold lost by one goal. 

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