PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – University of Rochester women's lacrosse raced past the Bard College Raptors, 22-5, on Sunday afternoon at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
 
With the win, Rochester moves to 9-5 (4-3 LL), the third-most wins in program history and the 'Jackets first nine-win season since 2017, while the Raptors fall to 1-10 (0-4 LL).
 
Gracie Giannettino broke the seal and got the Yellowjacket scoring started with an unassisted score just over a minute and a half into the first quarter. And just a few minutes later, Alyssa Gorny would make it 2-0 off a free-position shot with 10:25 to play in the first.
 
The Raptors won the ensuing draw control, but a turnover caused by Campbell Sy gave Rochester the ball back, and UR proceeded to score three goals in quick succession, with Kassi Boehl, Brooke Fiannaca and Regi Merkin all finding the back of the next over a minute span to extend the lead to 5-0.
 
UR would add five more over the next four minutes, scoring 10 unanswered before the Raptors got on the scoreboard on Izzi Popolizio's free-position shot.
 
Goals by Gorny, Hass Diallo, Lucy Haggerty and Lorelei King helped extend the 'Jackets' lead to 10-1 before Bard got on the board, and UR would take a 10-1 lead into the quarter break.
 
Zoe Sullivan then got the scoring started to start the second, bringing Rochester's lead back up to 10, 11-1, just 1:16 into the period.
 
King would add another off Sullivan's assist to make it 12-1 with 10:40 remaining until halftime before three more from Sullivan, Merkin and Heido Donovan gave Rochester a 15-1 lead.
 
Bard would counter with two scorers before heading into the break, cutting UR's lead to 15-3 at the half.
 
And while the Raptors would quickly make it 15-4 on another Poplizio score just under two minutes into the third, Rochester answered with three goals over the next 13 minutes, holding Bard scoreless the rest of the period.
 
King answered Popolizio's score off Haggerty's assist to bring the lead back to 12, before Sarah Berman got the scoreboard, scoring first-year's first career goal off Merkin's assist to make it 17-4.
 
Sullivan would then add another to give UR an 18-4 lead headed to the fourth, and the Yellowjackets would keep on rolling in the final frame, outscoring Bard, 4-1 in the period to finish off the victory.
 
Offensively, Sullivan led UR with five goals on seven shots, adding two assists. Merkin led the 'Jackets with a career-high five assists, tying the program record first set by Katie Riegel against RPI on April 6, 2001.
 
Defensively, Boehl notched a team-high four ground balls and four draw controls, while both Boehl and Abbey Smith caused a pair of turnovers.
 
In goal, four Yellowjackets saw action in net, combining for three saves. Emily Geiss earned the win, holding Bard to just one goal in the opening period, while Sami Dinhofer played a team-high 23:46.
 
Rochester next hits the road for its final two road contests of the regular season, opening a two-game, conference road trip in Saratoga Springs, NY against Skidmore on Friday, April 21 at 4:00 p.m.