For Immediate Release – 3/29/17 - #267
WildCats Post Big Day in Win over Hollins

ROANOKE, VA – The Randolph College women's lacrosse team had five different players record hat tricks or more on Wednesday, as the team defeated Hollins University 21-10.  The game was a nonconference game, as HU is playing this season as an independent.

The 'Cats started strong, as Chelsea Marciniak found the back of the net 43 seconds after Nicole Dorton won the opening draw.  Hollins answered just 22 seconds later, but it fired up the 'Cats, as the team responded with a big run.

Chrissy Shackleford (saved free position shot) and Dana Cavallo (caused turnover) got things going defensively, which spurned the offense.  Leah Hughes scored shortly after Cavallo got the ball back, ripping it home.  HU got the ball back, but could not tally as Shackleford stopped a shot and Hughes and Dorton each caused turnovers.  With the ball back, Cavallo drove near the crease and sent it home to make the lead 3-1.  Marciniak was fouled soon after getting the ball back, and she made no doubt on the free position attempt.  Dorton joined in on the scoring 21 seconds later.  Marciniak found Dorton in a great area, and scored.  Hannah Bradley finished off the run at 20:58, taking the feed from Hughes and putting the score at 6-1.

Despite Shackleford coming up with another stop, HU was able to pull two goals back by the 16:49 mark in the first half.  But Randolph answered in kind.  Cavallo found the netting for the second time of the day, this time off of a pass from Libby Exline.  Then after some more stout defending, Hughes made it 8-3.

Valerie Helmbrecht ended that mini-burst by the 'Cats, but another one was soon started.  Shackleford stopped a shot, and a break was started.  Bradley hit Dorton, and Dorton finished the man-advantage goal.  The next tally came quickly, as Hughes found Teagan Stanley shortly after a foul by the hosts.  HU got the ball back, but Shackleford made two more saves, which set up the next Randolph goal.  Marciniak ripped one home on a free position attempt for the second time, and Bradley made it 12-4 with 6:08 remaining in the half.

Helmbrecht helped bring two goals back for the home team, but it would be for naught, as Marciniak started another run.  She tallied and the other co-captain, Hughes, added two in the final minute of the half to put the score at 15-6.  Tyrah Cobb-Davis and Dorton had the assists.

Helmbrecht started the half with the opener, but Cavallo brought it right back.  She caught a pass from Taylor Gamble and made no doubt about it.  Then Marciniak and Bradley scored in quick succession.  Dorton completed the run with 20 minutes left in the game, putting the score at 19-8.  Helmbrecht responded, but Cavallo and Bradley put the game out of reach for good, making it 21-8.  HU added two late goals, but it would not matter.

Marciniak (five), Bradley (four), Hughes (four), Cavallo (four), and Dorton (three) registered the hat tricks.  Hughes and Marciniak added two assists, each posting career-highs in points.  Dorton pulled in nine draw controls, while Shackleford played big in net, stopping 18 shots.  It was a new career-high for the first-year

Randolph (2-6) comes back home and returns to ODAC play on Saturday.  The WildCats will take on Roanoke College (1-9, 1-1) at 1 p.m.

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