SAINT LEO, Fla. – After scoring nine consecutive goals in the second half, the Saint Leo women's lacrosse team defeated Belmont Abbey by a 23-8 margin at home in a non-conference bout.

Within the first five minutes of the start of the game, the Lions were up 3-1 as freshman Briana Bellando scored two of Saint Leo's first three goals. The Crusaders answered with a goal, however, Bellando and junior Maria Palomba both scored a goal unassisted to give the Green and Gold a 5-2 cushion. With less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Belmont Abbey scored in a player-up situation which kickstarted a three-goal run for the Crusaders.

Belmont Abbey laced a pair of goals to start the second frame to tie the game at 5-5. The Lions put an end to the Crusader's run as senior Cassidy Passaro found the back of the net followed by junior Ava Valenti scoring on a player-up opportunity, 7-5. After Belmont Abbey scored, sophomore Sophia Wood gave Saint Leo an 8-6 advantage with 18 seconds left in the first half.

Valenti fired an unassisted goal to start the third quarter which ignited a four-goal run, followed by senior Fiona McLaughlin, Passaro, and sophomore Jana Nuss as they stretched the score margin to 12-6. Sandwich in between Belmont Abbey goals was another impressive scoring showcase put on by the Lions with nine unanswered. The Green and Gold held 21-8 advantage at the 5:50-mark before freshman Zoey Lind scored off a dish from Wood while Lind returned the favor to fellow freshman Emelia Lowe as Lowe notched her first career goal, 23-8.

The offensive onslaught by the Lions was led by McLaughlin, who finished the game with four goals, followed by Bellando with three scores while Wood registered a hat-trick in addition to one assist. Passaro tallied three points with two goals and one assist. Valenti collected two goals and one assist as well. Palomba posted a pair of goals in her performance. Nuss recorded three assists and one goal. Defensively, Wood led the team with three caused turnovers and grabbed one ground ball. Bellando forced two turnovers and two ground balls.

In the net, sophomore Jessica Harclerode notched 10 saves in addition to seven ground balls in 45 minutes and collected the win.

The Lions return to the field on Tuesday, March 12 as they host Molloy in a non-conference matchup at 7 p.m.