EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette offense exploded to score five goals as the Leopards defeated Iona, 5-0, on Wednesday at Gummeson Grounds: Home of Mike Bourger '44 Field at Oaks Stadium.
The Maroon and White got on the board in the 31st minute, as junior
Ava Murphy ripped a shot past the Iona goalkeeper for her first score of the season and a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, the Leopards added to their advantage in the 52nd minute. After a shot by senior
April McDonald was blocked and trickled back to senior
Katrina Santelli, Santelli blasted a right-footed shot into the back of the net to double the Leopards' lead to 2-0. It was the team-best fourth goal of the 2025 campaign for the Pepper Pike, Ohio native. Just eight minutes later, in the 60th minute, a pass by McDonald found juniorÂ
Heather Plowright for a one-time shot from the right side of the goal. Plowright placed the shot between the pipes for her first collegiate tally and a 3-0 advanatge.Â
In 65th minute, junior
Nadia Zaffanella found the scoring column for the first time this season.The Biology major deked an Iona defender and rocketed a shot into an open part of the goal, increasing the Lafayette lead to 4-0. The Leopards were not done scoring. In the 86th minute, sophomore
Jessica Giordanella scored her first collegiate goal on a breakaway for the 5-0 final.
The Leopards had 28 shots, of which 15 were on goal. This is the most shots for the Maroon and White in a single game since they defeated Delaware State in 2009, 4-0, where Lafayette also recorded 28 shots. Santelli led the Leopards with 11 shots, the most for a Lafayette player since Jaclyn Giordano had 11 shots in a 3-3 tie against Loyola in 2013.
Junior
Catherine Apker played the full 90 minutes in goal for the Maroon and White, recording two saves and earning her third shutout of the season and the 11th shutout of her career. Isabella DeGiovanni played 90 minutes for Iona and was credited with 10 saves.Â
The Leopards close out their two-game homestand on Sunday at 4 p.m. when they host Penn.
