NEWBURGH, NY – Hartwick's women's lacrosse team started the 2011 season in style with a 14-2 romp over Mount Saint Mary in Newburgh on Tuesday. The Hawks open the campaign with a win for the second consecutive year and the margin of victory is the program's largest since a 20-4 win over Wells in 2008.
            Sophomore Erica Scicchitano (Centerport, NY/Harborfields) and freshman Brittany McCabe (Manorville, NY/East-South Manor) each scored three goals to pace the Hartwick attack.
            'Wick needed just 15 seconds to gain the upper hand as junior attack Emily Walsh (Cortland, NY/Cortland) tallied following the opening draw. Goals from McCabe and Brittany LaVaute (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) extended the advantage to three with only 4:43 elapsed in the game.
            The Knights got on the scoreboard at the 22:30 mark on a Mikaely Whitehouse goal, but sophomore midfielder Ryan McGovern (Miller Place, NY/Rocky Point) answered back less than two minutes later for the Hawks. With under 20 minutes to go in the first half, MSMC's Erica Massmann made the score 4-2, but that would be as close as the Knights would get as 'Wick scored the final 10 goals of the game.
            Scicchitano tallied twice and Hannah Kennedy (Avon, CT/Avon) and LaVaute each scored before halftime as the Hawks opened up an 8-2 edge at the break.
            In the second half, McCabe tallied twice in the opening five minutes to get 'Wick to 10. Freshman Aly Davis (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles) and Walsh then tallied 19 seconds apart to push the lead to 12-2. Scicchitano and Davis tacked on the final goals of the game with 13 and a half minutes remaining before the Hawks pulled back their offense.
            Kate O'Shea (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridegwood) and Meg Luce (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) each had two assists apiece for Hartwick, which held advantages in shots (28-12) and ground balls (26-14). LaVaute grabbed a game-high seven ground balls. She also had a game-high three caused turnovers and a team-best two draws. 
            Goalkeeper Jen Kaye (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) grabbed five ground balls for the Hawks. She also stopped five Knight shots to earn the win in goal.
            Hartwick hosts Marywood in its home opener on Wednesday, March 9^th.