Box Score Lafayette Hill, Pa. - (3/14/2015) – Though visiting Kutztown University made this afternoon's non-conference women's lacrosse game interesting with a second-half rally, a red-hot start was more than enough to keep Chestnut Hill College in the driver's seat until the horn sounded on a 9-7 victory on another rainy affair at Victory Field #1. The Griffins scored on each of their first six shots – half of them on the stick of freshman attack Hunter Leckonby (Charleston, S.C.) – in winning back-to-back home games for the first time since 2011. Sophomore midfielder Jacklyn O'Leary (East Meadow, N.Y.) tallied three goals for her first hat-trick of the season and also added an assist for a four-point effort.
 
O'Leary got Chestnut Hill College (2-1) off to a quick start with goals in the first 3:46, the second on a feed from classmate Samantha Herron (Cinnaminson, N.J.), 2-0 (26:14). Leckonby took the reins from there, netting back-to-back unassisted markers to double the advantage, 4-0, less than 10 minutes in (20:46). Herron facilitated the ensuing connection to fellow sophomore, midfielder Rachel Perry (Gilbertsville, Pa.), 5-0 (16:14), and by the time Leckonby whizzed a shot past Kutztown University (1-1) reserve goalkeeper Abby Cox (York, Pa.), 6-0 (8:48), the freshman had her second hat-trick in her first three collegiate contests and Chestnut Hill College was off to the races with a 6-0 bulge.
 
The Golden Bears, the second of three consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponents, stopped the Griffin parade with a goal at the 7:09 mark of the half, 6-1, before a three-goal run after intermission pulled them to within 6-4 on the second tally by senior attack Jillian Spencer (Sewell, N.J.) (19:20). Kutztown University never got closer than two the rest of the way thanks to some remarkable individual efforts from several Griffins.
 
First, O'Leary spun around a defender and buried a powerful blast to stem the Kutztown tide, 7-4 (13:49), and 13 seconds after Spencer completed her hat-trick, 7-5 (12:12), sophomore midfielder Lea Sanders (North Merrick, N.Y.) poked the ball loose, scooped up the resulting ground ball, and raced downfield for a breakaway goal, 8-5 (11:59). The Golden Bears cut the gap to two once more, 8-6 (10:07), but Chestnut Hill College again had a response ready, this time at the hands of junior midfielder Emorie Keimig (Freeland, Md.), who scored off a re-start to restore a three-goal margin at 9-6 (9:35). Kutztown University had one more charge in them, making it 9-7 at 1:59, but the Griffins won the ensuing draw and ran off most of the remaining time to secure their triumph.

Spencer matched O'Leary with a game-best four points on three goals and a helper for Kutztown University, which also got a pair of goals from freshman midfielder Sarah Gabriele (Felton, Pa.) and held a 21-18 advantage in shots. Freshman goalkeeper Jen Bergey (Souderton, Pa.) was removed after surrendering Chestnut Hill College's third goal to take the loss (0-1), while Cox came on in relief and made six saves.
 
O'Leary scored on all three of her shots and added a pair of ground balls to her sixth career hat-trick for Chestnut Hill College. Senior defender Alexis Puhl (Philadelphia, Pa.) was all over the field, picking up five ground balls in addition to two draw controls and a career-high five caused turnovers, the most by a Griffin since 2012. Herron posted a season-high five draw controls, and sophomore goalkeeper Katie Joe Lang (Manassas, Va.) collected four ground balls and a caused turnover and made a season-best 10 saves for her second win of the year (2-1).  
 
The women's lacrosse team kicks off a four-game road trip against a third straight PSAC foe, traveling to Shippensburg University for a 4:00 p.m. draw on Tuesday, March 17.