March 28, 2010
Final Stats
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Sophomore Justine Donodeo scored a season-high eight goals to pace Villanova (7-2 overall, 0-1 BIG EAST) to an 18-10 victory over Wagner (1-7 overall) in a women's lacrosse match played here on a gray Sunday afternoon.
Wagner gained the upper hand to start the game, scoring the contest's first two goals when Annie O'Connor and Dana Marchitelli fired in goals in the first six minutes. Donodeo pulled the Wildcats within 2-1 with her first goal of the day at 23:34 before Carolyn Clark extended the Seahawks lead to 3-1 at 18:54.
But Villanova rallied behind Donodeo and senior Erica Rybinski, who finished the afternoon with a pair of goals and four assists. Donodeo scored two goals 36 seconds apart midway through the first half to draw the Wildcats even at three. Clark then scored again for Wagner to put the Seahawks back in front. However, in the final 13 minutes of the period there were five consecutive Villanova goals, including scores by Mia Naccarato, Carly Miller, Rybinski, Kyler O'Shea and Donodeo.
The Wildcats held an 8-4 lead at intermission.
Freshman Maria Bowman answered a Wagner score early in the second half to make it 9-5 in Villanova's favor. After another Seahawk goal, Donodeo reeled off three straight goals to put the `Cats in a commanding position at 12-6 with 22:29 to play in regulation. VU was in control for the rest of the day.
Freshman Shawna Giust scored three straight goals in the second half for Villanova, which used a variety of lineups in putting this one into the win column.
Eight different Wildcats picked up at least a point, led by Donodeo, who added two assists to her eight goals for a 10 point afternoon. She now has 36 goals in nine games this season.
Junior Maggie Langan made nine saves while going the distance in net to pick up the victory.
