Vendel Ties School Record In Blue Devils' Loss to LIU

Freshman Betsy Vendel tied the school record for assists in a single game with five, but the Central Connecticut lacrosse team dropped a 16-14 home decision versus Long Island Saturday afternoon. Vendel also added two goals as the Blue Devils fall to 4-6 on the season and 0-5 in Northeast Conference play. The Blackbirds improve to 2-10 overall and 1-5 in the NEC with the victory. Central will next play at Mount St. Mary's on Friday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m.

The Blackbirds got the scoring started with three straight goals to start the game, before getting out to an 8-3 lead just over half way through the first period. Sophomore Ashley Perkoski, junior Michele Conway and freshman Meaghan McCurry broke up the Long Island run, each tallying a goal for the Blue Devils during the stretch.

CCSU then cut the deficit to two, at 8-6, when freshman Mackenzy Ryan, Conway and Perkoski scored three straight goals. Vendel assisted on the latter two scores. The Blackbirds countered right back, finishing the final two goals before the break to take a 10-6 lead into the locker rooms.

It was again LIU taking the early advantage in the second half, scoring the first two goals to take its largest lead of the game at 12-6. The Blue Devils fought back yet again as they tallied five out of the next seven goals of the game. With 14:07 to play CCSU trailed the Blackbirds 14-11. Vendel scored her two goals during the stretch.

Long Island then scored its final two goals within 23 seconds of each other to take a five goal lead that would be the cushion needed to hold on for the 16-14 victory. Conway's score off of an assist from Perkoski with 2:29 left in the game got CCSU within two scores, but it wasn't enough.

The Blackbirds took advantage of seven free position goals on 14 attempts, while Central was held to only one goal of the free position variety on only six attempts. LIU also finished with 32 total shots to CCSU's 23. The Blue Devils did win the ground war, leading Long Island in both ground balls (14-12) and draw controls (17-15).

Senior Lyndsey Mastandrea and sophomore Ashley Mara each recorded three ground balls to lead CCSU, while freshman Ali Roche finished with a team high four draw controls to go along with her first career goal. Vendel's five assists tied former Blue Devil Julia Steier, who tallied five against Howard in 2003.

Vendel also tallied two goals in the defeat. Ryan also finished with two scores to go along with two assists, while Perkoski, Conway and McCurry led the Blue Devils with three scores a piece. Sophomore Erin DeLancey stopped 11 shots for Central while in goal for all 60 minutes.