Stokes Keys 14-4 Victory For Women's Lacrosse

AURORA, N.Y. – Freshman Shianne Stokes (Mays Landing, N.J.) led the Express in several key defensive categories on Friday, lifting the Wells College women's lacrosse team to a 14-4 victory over the Chargers of Lancaster Bible College on Friday at the South Athletic Field. Wells (1-5, 1-2 NEAC) earns their first overall victory of the season while also claiming their first North Eastern Athletic Conference win. Lancaster Bible (1-10, 1-3 NEAC) drops their 10th game of the season and their third within league play.

Stokes posted a strong all-around game, reeling in a team-best three draw controls and adding a team-best eight ground balls. Furthermore, her seven caused turnovers are the second-most by a Wells player since the statistic was first tracked in 2009. Junior Marina Fargnoli (Apalachin, N.Y.) and sophomore Lexie Roberson (Winston-Salem, N.C.) each struck for four goals apiece with Fargnoli leading the team in point scoring (4-1=5).

Sophomore Andrea Gould (Fulton, N.Y.) and junior Alaina Kelahan (New Woodstock, N.Y.) each registered two goals while Stokes chipped in with a goal and an assist offensively. Freshman Taylor Brown (Clinton, N.Y.) scored her first collegiate goal in the first half of play.

Alyssa Wesner placed Lancaster Bible on the board first as her unassisted strike lifted her team to a 1-0 lead with only 2:47 expired on the game clock. Wells, however, used two Roberson strikes and a Fargnoli unassisted goal to quickly assume a 3-1 lead with 18:52 left in the first half. Emily Martz, however, countered with a goal for Lancaster Bible only 23 seconds following Fargnoli, shrinking the Wells lead to 3-2.

Wells took command of the game from that point onward, scoring the tilt's next seven goals before Ky-Leigh Hallman scored a free position goal only 6:51 into the second half. Roberson followed with two straight goals for the Express before Kelahan and Gould added tallies to build upon the Wells lead. Martz converted a free position attempt with 2:43 left in regulation time to cut the deficit to 10 at 14-4, but her goal would conclude the scoring on the afternoon.

Martz led her team with two goals and five draw controls. Brie Rotelle and Naomi Otis both scooped up a squad-best five ground balls in the loss while also causing two turnovers to tie for the team lead.

Express goaltender Chelsea Dann (Flagstaff, Ariz.) picked up her first victory of the season for Wells, making five saves on eight total shots before yielding to first year backstop Brooke Spanbauer (Niagara Falls, N.Y.). Through the game's final 11:35, Spanbauer made three saves on four shots from the Chargers. Cheyenne Benson assumed the loss for Lancaster Bible, allowing 14 goals on 23 total shots from the Express.

Wells returns to action Saturday, Apr. 12 as they host the Phoenix from Wilson College at 1:00 p.m. on the South Athletic Field. The Express will honor the team's three graduating senior student-athletes in a pre-game ceremony on the field.