Box Score LANCASTER, Pa. -- Stevenson asserted itself early and often, claiming its first NCAA Tournament win in program history with a 17-7 running clock victory against Meredith on Saturday afternoon at an overcast Shadek Stadium.
Stevenson (13-7) roared out of the gate with eight consecutive goals, building an early cushion as with the flurry that spanned into the second quarter. The Mustangs built a 10-goal cushion with the final tally of the third, cruising in the wire-to-wire triumph. The Mustangs continue their NCAA Tournament run with a quick turnaround against Franklin & Marshall on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
Dictating possession and tempo from the jump, Stevenson opened up a 9-3 advantage at the half with a variety of goal scorers. Caroline Murphy dazzled with four goals and four assists, setting a new Stevenson single-season record for points while continuing to move up the all-time career scoring list. McKenna Blick stuffed the stat sheet with four goals, two assists and four caused turnovers, while Kaitlyn Kozlowski notched a hat trick.
The Mustangs dominated in the draw control, winning 18 of 28 opportunities. Defensively, Sophie Shucosky notched nine saves as Stevenson combined for 13 caused turnovers.
Shucocky made an early stop on a low free-position chance and later gathered a loose ball in front, allowing the Mustangs to settle in for their first offensive possession of the afternoon. After an extended trip on the offensive end, Murphy found a slicing Lan Le Crotty for a 1-0 advantage with 10:04 showing in the opening frame. Murphy later tied the Stevenson single-season points record with a dish to Kaitlyn Kozlowski as the Mustangs doubled the edge at 2-0.
From there, Murphy ripped home a pair of goals, setting a new single-season points record for the Mustangs. The goals, coming at 8:29 and 3:37, ballooned the Stevenson lead to 4-0.
Out of a timeout, Stevenson gathered in a loose ball as Blick posted her first tally of the afternoon with a short-side marker. Blick moved into sole possession of this on the single-season points list with another goal just about two minutes later for a commanding 6-0 edge. The Mustangs picked up where they left off at the onset of the second quarter, pushing ahead at 8-0 with tallies from Kara Yarusso and Kellyann Coccia.
Meredith (15-6) eventually got on the board with a free-position attempt in the second quarter before the Mustangs had a quick response with Blick's third goal of the day. The Angels netted a pair of goals over the final 2:14 of the second quarter, slicing the Stevenson lead to 9-3 at the intermission.
Stevenson rattled off three consecutive to begin the second half, including consecutive unassisted markers from Murphy before Blick found Kozlowski at 10:57. The Mustangs continued pressing forward after the intermission, thanks in large part to the dominant effort in the draw control circle, in building a 12-3 lead and forcing a Meredith timeout. Not to be outdone, Shucosky gathered two timely saves, including one off a giveaway as Stevenson maintained the comfortable lead.
The Angels avoided the running clock with a shorthanded goal at 4:31 in the third. Stevenson responded with Crotty notching her second of the day at the 2:04 mark before Kozlowski started the running clock with a dodge and score near the end of the third.
Meredith halted the running clock with the opening goal of the fourth before adding another, trailing 14-6 at 11:10. Both sides traded scores as the Mustangs had the result well in hand in the final stanza, emerging with the 17-7 final.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Stevenson was making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2014 campaign on Saturday. The Mustangs dropped their NCAA Tournament debut, 5-4, to SUNY Geneseo back in 2014.
- Murphy figured in on each of the initial four Stevenson goals, setting a new single season program points record with her initial goal of the afternoon at 8:29 in the first.
- Saturday marked the first meeting between Stevenson and Meredith.
- Meredith was making its eighth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament with an automatic bid as champions of the USA South. The Angles were limited opponents to just under eight goals per game, a mark that Stevenson surpassed before halftime.
- Murphy surpassed Leah Warner's 88 points to set the new program record for points in a season.
- Blick has scored a goal in all 20 games this season for the Mustangs, moving to third on the Stevenson single-season goals list with 57.
- Seven different Mustangs found the back of the net in the complete effort.
- Murphy posted five points or more for the 21st time in her Stevenson career, while Blick added five or more points for the eighth time this season.
- Stevenson matched a season high with 13 caused turnovers, previously setting the mark in a 20-1 win against Eastern on April 9.
UP NEXT
- Stevenson faces host Franklin & Marshall in NCAA Second Round action on Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 p.m.
HIGHLIGHTS
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
