MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Saint Leo women's lacrosse team, ranked 20^th, was unstoppable at Florida Tech, ranked 23^rd, on Saturday in Melbourne, Fla. The complete team effort yielded a spectacular 19-6 win over the top-25 Panthers. The dominant performance claimed the Green and Gold's first win of the season moving their record to 1-2, 1-1 in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC).
 
Fourth-year head coach Caitlin Hansen exclaimed, "It was great to get the win after a full team effort! Emma Crafton made big saves in the cage and our entire defensive unit had another solid effort. Our offense found its' rhythm today and we saw first career Saint Leo goals for Nina Urban and Reagan Buhrman. Fiona McLaughlin really stepped it up, putting six in the back of the net!"
 
Freshman Fiona McLaughlin gave opponents on the field and those watching the live stream whiplash as heads turned to see the Marietta, Georgia native come off the bench and score six goals off six shots. She was followed by graduate student Delaney Chrisco with four goals off five shots. The veteran midfielder captured the program's all-time caused turnover record on Wednesday and added four more for a total of 75. Chrisco is in the midst of chasing down another program record; draw controls. She earned three at Florida Tech for a career tally of 173, just five shy from Allie Sheftall's (2013-16) record of 178. Meanwhile, Ashley Salvett earned a team-high four draw controls in the afternoon's victory. Sophomore attacker, Ashlee Wilsynski, doubled her season goal count with a hat-trick against the Panthers and assisted in two for a strong five-point game.
 
Senior goalkeeper Emma Crafton posted a career-high 11 saves in Melbourne. The Naples, Florida native protected the Lions' net for 52 minutes of action before sophomore Rachel Smythe took over the responsibilities.
 
Records
Florida Tech 0-3, 0-2 SSC
Saint Leo 1-2, 1-1 SSC
 
How it Happened
Tied at 3-3 at 21:27 in the first, the Green and Gold's offense broke out eight straight goals. The offensive surge saw six different goal scores while Wilsynski and Kaci Archer registered two assists apiece. With the score at 11-3, the Panthers snapped the Lions' streak with a goal right before the half.

The teams exchanged a goal in the opening five minutes of the second half; 12-5. Saint Leo saw Chrisco score her fourth followed by Buhrman's first collegiate goal. Florida Tech scored one last time before the Lions ended the game on a five-goal run.

Up Next
Saint Leo returns home to University Turf Stadium to host the Tars of Rollins College, ranked seventh, on Saturday, April 3 at 1 p.m. 

 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo women's lacrosse, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, holding competitions without fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.