Boxscore

File Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

FAIRFAX, Va. -- The University of Delaware women’s lacrosse team defeated Colonial Athletic Association foe George Mason 14-8 on the road Sunday afternoon on the strength of a career-high five goals and an assist by senior captain Deb Sloan (at right).

Sloan’s five goals marked her third hat-trick of the season and the 12th of her career. Freshman midfielder Stephanie Allen also pitched in three goals and junior attack Courtney Aburn posted two goals and two assists.

The Blue Hens (9-6, 5-1 CAA) outshot the Patriots (5-10, 1-5 CAA) 27-17, led by Sloan’s game-high seven shots. Both teams turned the ball over 16 times and both scooped up 22 groundballs. Seniors Amanda Lahiff and Alexis Curcio led the Hens with five groundballs apiece.

The two teams traded goals for most of the first half with the lead changing four times. Mason got on the board first nearly four minutes into the game. Aburn answered a little over a minute with an unassisted goal to tie the score.

After Mason’s Alana Chan scored at 24:31, Delaware tied the score once again as Sloan scored the first of her five goals on the day a little over three minutes later.

Curcio, who scored three goals in the Hens’ win over James Madison Friday night, gave Delaware its first lead of the day, 3-2, at 18:31 with an unassisted goal. Neither team would score for over 12 minutes, bu then Mason’s Caroline Hoyt scored off an assist from Madalyn Jamison to knot the score at 3-3. Hoyt would score again following a Delaware goal by Ali Libertini, tying the score for a fifth time in the first half.

Not 30 seconds after Hoyt tied the score a fifth time, Allen scored her first goal of the game to regain the lead for Delaware. Sophomore attack Lindsey Coon added another UD goal with 47 seconds left in the half to give the Hens their largest lead of the half at 6-4.

After closing out the first half on a 2-0 run, Delaware continued its momentum into the second half going on a 3-0 run to begin the period. Sloan struck twice within the first minute of the period, both on assists from Aburn. Then Aburn scored her own goal at 27:52 to give Delaware a 9-4 lead.

Mason’s Brittany Berger scored at the 23:27 mark to bring the Patriots within four 9-5, and Emily Ellisen’s goal at 20:24 again brought them within four at 10-6, but that would be the closest they would get. Allen and Sloan each added two more goals and all Mason could manage was one more goal by Ellisen at 1:22.

With the win, Delaware stays tied with Old Dominion for No. 1 in the CAA standings after the Monarchs defeated Drexel 14-7 Sunday afternoon. The Blue Hens own the tie-breaker over ODU having beat them back on Apr. 3.