NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion lacrosse came away with a dominant 20-4 win against Howard at home on Wednesday afternoon.
Sarah Murrell recorded her fourth hat trick of the year within the first quarter, scoring first for the Monarchs and then netting two more after goals from Alex Kulinski and Howard’s Marley Rhymes. Julia Butler finished the quarter with a goal of her own, giving ODU a strong 5-1 start.
Kulisnki opened the second quarter with a goal only 50 seconds in, and Murrell grabbed her fourth goal of the game under a minute later. On a free-position shot, Kayleigh Flanegan found the back of the net, bringing ODU up 8-1. Bison Kyla Newkirk responded with under seven minutes to go with teammate Chloe Ronsholdt putting another point on the board for Howard after a goal from Katie Pfeiler. With almost a minute left in the half, Kulinski, Eleni Yates, and Callie Culhane would all score, sending the Monarchs into the locker room up 12-3.
ODU reached a double-digit lead under a minute into the third quarter after Sydney Taylor grabbed her first goal of the game under 40 seconds in. Culhane followed suit with a goal on a free-position shot two minutes later, and Murrell netted her fifth goal of the game with under nine minutes to go. Kylie O’Donnell scored on a free-position shot as well, and Hannah Shaddock would hold off the Bison for the remainder of the quarter to let ODU enter the fourth quarter up 16-3.
The fourth quarter was full of firsts, beginning with Delaney Turner scoring her first collegiate goal. Sawyer Walker netted the last goal for the Bison with almost 10 minutes left in the game, with Taylor following behind with her second goal of the day. To close out ODU’s victory, Peyton Marohl and Corryn Jones both scored their first goals of their career, securing a 20-4 win.
Murrell led the team in scoring with a career-high five goals while also accounting for two assists and eight draw controls. Kulinski recorded three goals and one assist, while Taylor and Culhane both scored two and had one and two assists respectively. Goalie Brynn Bowen came away with six saves and the win, bringing her season total up to 53.
Old Dominion heads north this weekend to compete against Mount St. Mary’s on Sunday, March 9 at 12 p.m. in Emmitsburg, Maryland.