April 14, 2001

HAMILTON, N.Y. (www.lafayette.edu) - The Lafayette women's lacrosse team proved it isn't about to give up its reign as Patriot League champions as the 2000 title winners pounded preseason conference favorite Colgate, 13-4, in the Patriot League matchup in Hamilton, N.Y. on Saturday.

Lafayette (9-3, 3-0 PL) got five goals from its preseason All-America selection Heather McClelland (Springfield, Va./Kimball-Union Academy) and four goals from Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week Jodi Spector (Baltimore, Md./Park School) in the contest as the Leopards outshot the Red Raiders, 23-18, on the afternoon and were up 7-3 at the half.

Freshman Erin Gallagher (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock) continued her impressive rookie campaign, picking up three points on two goals and an assist while classmate Katie Curtin (Oreland, Pa./Germantown Academy) added a goal and an assist of her own. Fellow freshmen Fallon Cunningham (Bangall, N.Y./Millbrook School) and Jill Marvin (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) added goals to wrap up the Lafayette scoring spree.

Colgate (6-7, 2-2) got two points from Heather Smith on a goal and an assist, with its only other scores coming from Lauren Esposito, Kristin Bailey and leading scorer Liz Brown. Leela Strong (Wayland, Maine/Wayland) made 14 stops in goal for Lafayette as the Leopards picked up 19 ground balls to Colgate's 13.

Lafayette continues its quest for the Patriot League crown by hosting archrival Lehigh on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.

GOALSLC:  McClelland 5, Spector 4, Curtin, Gallagher, Cunningham, Marvin.CU: Smith, Brown, Esposito, Bailey.

ASSISTSLC: Gallagher 2, Curtin, Tinney, Maron.CU: Smith, Hoack.

GOALTENDING               GA    Saves   W/LLeela Strong (LC)      3     14 WKate Devlin (LC)       1     0  --Jane Murray (CU)      13     7  L

           SHOTS    GROUND BALLS    DRAW CONTROLSLafayette   23       19               8Colgate         18       13               9