In 2007, the Eastern University women's lacrosse team dropped a 13-11 home game to Swarthmore. The 2008 fixture with the Garnet carried special significance for the Coach Azzarano's squad. The Eagles jumped to a 7-1 halftime lead on three first-half goals from Grace Griffith and never looked back on the way to a 14-4 road win.
Griffith finished with four goals to lead the way for the Eagles, but the first-year attacker was hardly the only offensive star as Katie Choquette and Erin Fries each tucked away three goals and Katie Maguire added a pair.
Coach Azzarano said of her team's effort, "Tonight was a big night for us in that we had several players step up at both ends of the field. Katie Choquette was really outstanding. She was all over the place and was very effective in front of the goal. Lindsay Moosey continues to get stronger with every game, and we could keep listing players that played really well. It was a really good performance for our team."
The Eagles scored three straight goals in the opening four minutes to take command of the game early. Griffith picked up the first two, and Maguire drove to goal to finish the third. After a Swarthmore goal cut the lead to 3-1, the Eagles scored four straight in the final fifteen minutes of the opening period. As a gentle mist turned into steady showers, the Eastern defense stymied the Garnet attack, and it seemed that Moosey, Maguire, and Sarah Hager were forcing turnovers and picking off passes whenever the Eagles lost possession. Kim Campbell made five of her 11 saves for the game in the first half.
Griffith scored a on a free-position shot to start the Eastern run. Choquette finished a nice pass from Lindsey Moosey in transition to make it 5-1. Fries fought her way to the middle and fired a high shot for her first of the day with just under five minutes to play. Anne Dietrich closed the scoring for the half from right in front of the crease on a pass from Choquette.
The Eagles pushed the lead to 8-1 on Griffith's fourth of the day. The Eagles continued to apply defensive pressure and were able to generate scoring chances out of their defense. Maguire closed out the scoring late with her sixth goal of the year. Azzarano was very pleased with her team's attacking, but was even more pleased with the progress her team is showing in reducing opportunities for goal by taking better care of the ball and not allowing teams to get opportunities in close.
Eastern returns to the road on Saturday with another PAC contest at Collage of Notre Dame on Saturday.
Box Score
