SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College women's lacrosse team opened the 2022 campaign with a high-scoring nonconference win over Saint Thomas Aquinas College, as the Yellow Jackets bested the Spartans by a 20-17 score on Wednesday, March 2.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 20, Saint Thomas Aquinas 17
Records: The Yellow Jackets improve to 1-0, while the Spartans drop to 0-1
Location: Ronald J. Abdow Field, Springfield, Massachusetts

KEY STATS:
STAC:
Danielle Cajou: Three goals, six assists
Micaela Ross: Five goals, one assist
Leanna Iobbi: Four goals, three caused turnovers
Colleen Stevens: Loss (0-1), eight saves

AIC:
Kathryn Moody: Six goals, one assist
Antonella Mikolyuk: Four goals, three assists
Jordan Galgay: Five goals, one assist
Anevay Rice: Three goals, three assists
Jessica Stone: Win (1-0) 11 saves on 20 shots in 30:00

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Kathryn Moody opened the scoring for AIC just a minute in, but the Spartans ran off five of the next six goals despite a bevy of saves from Jessica Stone in net.
• After a Leanna Iobbi goal put the Sparts up 5-2, AIC rallied to take the lead; Antonella Mikolyuk scored the first and last goals of a 6-0 run to close the frame, with Moody notching two more, and Isabelle Stone and Jordyn Galgay striking as well to put AIC ahead 8-5 at the first stoppage.
• The second quarter saw the offenses slow, with the teams still trading goals. Moody, Liz Day, Galgay, and Mikolyuk all scored to respond to four Spartans goals, giving AIC a 12-9 edge at the half.
• AIC began pulling away in the early third quarter. Rice scored twice to extend AIC's lead to 14-9, and from there the goals kept coming; Moody and Galgay each had two for AIC, with Galgay stuffing the rebound of her own shot home just before time expired to give AIC a lead of 18-14 heading into the final quarter.
• Mikolyuk and Rice struck back-to-back to close AIC's scoring out, and despite a late push by the Spartans, the Yellow Jackets hung on for the 20-17 final.

BIG DEBUTS:

• Galgay and Mikolyuk each had huge opening appearances for the Yellow Jackets, combining for nine goals and four assists.
• Stone made her first start in net for the lacrosse team and collected a career-best 11 saves.

NEXT UP:

• The team continues its homestand, hosting the University of Bridgeport on Saturday, March 5 at 1:00 p.m.