The Ramapo women’s lacrosse team won their season opener over St. John’s University of Long Island (SJLI) at home by a final score of 19-12. This was the first time since the 2019 season the Roadrunners won their season opener.
Team captain and junior midfielder Kelly Griffin opened the scoring for Ramapo with an unassisted goal at the 14:03 mark of the first quarter. Following her was sophomore midfielder Erin Smeilus, who scored at the 13:41 mark off a pass from Esme Espinosa.
The Roadrunners continued their hot start, jumping out to a 4-1 lead after a pair of goals from Griffin and Leah Whitney. Just before the first quarter ended, SJLI scored two goals, cutting their deficit to 4-3.
In the second quarter, Ramapo continued to hold strong as they scored five consecutive goals, pushing their lead to 9-3. Griffin scored twice, Smeilus once, one from Kaylie Gresek and one from Bethany Glaser. SJLI got one back off a goal from Emma Lange, but Griffin notched her fifth score of the first half before the second period came to a close with Ramapo on top 10-4.
The third quarter opened with three straight goals from SJLI’s Lange, Sabrina Doyle and Brooke Zecchini, cutting Ramapo’s lead to just three. However, the Roadrunners struck back with goals from Espinosa and Smeilus. After three periods of action, Ramapo led 13-9.
In the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners stepped on the gas pedal in order to finish out the game, outsourcing SJLI 6-3. To finish the match, Ramapo saw two goals scored from Glaser and Espinosa, along with one each from Griffin and Lauren Travaglini. The three goals from SJLI were scored by Lange, Doyle and Jaime Trowbridge.
“Some goals for this season are to play better as a team and have a winning season,” Griffin told The Ramapo News in an email. “The program has improved each year and now it is time to have an above .500 record. With our new additions to our team this year and the building we have done…I believe that this will be the best one yet!”
Ramapo’s next game will come against Purchase College on Saturday, March 9 at 1 pm. The Roadrunner’s in-conference matchups do not begin until April 6, where they’ll kick off New Jersey Athletic Conference play against The College of New Jersey.
pbortner@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
