BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn women's lacrosse team had their first win of the season Saturday morning, and they did it in emphatic fashion, beating the University of Hartford, 19-2. Nine different Blackbirds scored in the win for LIU, and Sierra O'Connor, Bianca Santucci, Amanda Masullo and Rachel Masullo each hat tricks to lead their team in the victory.
 
The Blackbirds started the scoring early, when freshman Elise Person scored an unassisted goal just three and a half minutes into the game. Person's goal sparked a spree. Just 12 seconds later, freshman Rachel Masullo won the draw control and passed the ball to senior Sierra O'Connor, who scored to make it 2-0 Blackbirds. The two would reverse roles two minutes later, and Masullo would score a goal off a pass from O'Connor to make it 3-0 Blackbirds.
 
LIU would have another scoring spurt starting three minutes later. Sophomore Bianca Santucci would score off a pass from junior Dale Cosgrave to make it 4-0, and O'Connor would score her second goal of the game at 10:31, again off a pass from Cosgrave. At the 15-minute mark, Cosgrave found Santucci again for the score, and the Blackbirds led, 6-0.
 
Hartford would score twice in the first half, but goals from Cosgrave, Amanda Masullo and Carlie Robinson would make it 9-2 for the home team. Rachel Masullo would score twice more before the first half ended, both times off of passes from her sister Amanda, giving the Blackbirds the 11-2 lead at the break.
 
Person started the scoring again for LIU in the second half, scoring the first goal 80 seconds in, unassisted again. The Masullos would combine again for a goal six minutes in, when Amanda would score off a pass from Rachel, and O'Conner would make it 14-2 with her third goal, off a pass from Cosgrave. Sophomore Abby Fox scored her first goal of the season just under nine minutes into the second half, followed by third goals for both Amanda Masullo, and Santucci, off a pass from Fox. Senior Carlie Robinson would add a goal at the 14-minute mark off a pass from Cosgrave, and junior Candice Mosal capped scoring with her goal with just three minutes left, making it 19-2.  
 
Up next, the Blackbirds embark on a southern swing, taking on Presbyterian, Wofford and VCU, in games in South Carolina and Virginia from March 13^th to 18^th.
 
NOTES FROM THE NEST
Senior Sierra O'Connor finished with three goals and three assists… Bianca Santucci also had a hat trick… Junior Dale Cosgrave had a goal and a game-high five assists... Freshman Amanda Masullo had three goals, two assists, seven draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover… Rachel Masullo also had three goals and two assists, along with eight draw controls and two caused turnovers… Carlie Robinson had two goals, three ground balls and three caused turnovers… Freshman keeper Sam Kidd had the win in net, making five saves.