Miller, Leonard Propel 'Cats Past Kennesaw State, 16-13

Sunday, March 10

Kennesaw, GA

1 PM

University of New Hampshire

4-2

Kennesaw State University

2-4

New Hampshire

Kennesaw State

Photo by: Meghan Murphy

3/10/2019 4:51:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Miller Records Career-High Five Points & Leonard Scores Career-High Four Goals

KENNESAW, Ga. – Devan Miller (Bristol, R.I.) and Rylee Leonard (Coventry, R.I.) scored four goals apiece to propel the University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team to Sunday afternoon's 16-13 win against Kennesaw State University at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

The four goals marked career highs for both Miller and Leonard. Miller also tallied an assist for a personal-best five points. Catherine Sexton (Niskayuna, N.Y.) recorded three goals and an assist for four points.

Caroline Hernon (Hampton, N.H.) was an across-the-board contributor with one goal, one assist, four ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers; she led the team in GB, DC and CTO.

UNH goalkeeper Issy Torres (Elmhurst, Ill.) made four of her five saves in the second half. KSU counterpart Alex Bunn stopped 13 shots, including 11 in the second half.

Seina Gore (4g, 2a), Marissa Gore (2g, 2a) and Haley Swift (2g, 2a) led the Owls' attack.

UNH improved to 4-1 on the road and 4-2 overall. Kennesaw State is now 2-4.

UP NEXT

UNH returns to action March 13 (4 p.m. Eastern) at Vanderbilt.
The Wildcats' next home game is March 17 (12 p.m.) against Iona College.

FIRST HALF

Kennesaw State took a 2-0 lead on free-position goals by Siena Gore and Marissa Gore at 29:31 and 28:39, respectively.
Miller netted goals two minutes apart to level the score, 2-2. She cut from the right side to the top of the crease and dropped low to shoot the ball into the net at 26:57. Miller then drove down the middle of the fan for a goal at 24:52.
The Owls scored their third free-position goal of the game, this time by Izzy Palermo, to regain the lead, 3-2, at 22:39.
UNH netted the next three goals, however, to take a 5-3 lead that would not be relinquished the final 49:27 of the game.
Michele Smith (Wantagh, N.Y.) slipped a pass from the left wing to Sexton cutting down the middle. Sexton dodged right and scored inside the near post to tie the score, 3-3, at 20:13.
Miller then set up Leonard's first goal of the game for a 4-3 lead 46 seconds later (at 19:27).
From the top, 10 meters out, Sexton found Lily Powell (Marcellus, N.Y.) alone in the middle of the fan and she converted it into a goal and 5-3 advantage at 15:15.
Swift answered with a goal at 11:57, but Miller struck for the third time in the game on a free position from the left hash in which she cut to the top of the crease for a 6-4 lead at 7:50.
Siena Gore netted the Owls' fourth free-position goal of the game to once again lift the home team within one, at 4:50.
The Wildcats scored two goals in the last three minutes to take an 8-5 lead into halftime. On a free position from the right side, Abby Cranney (Amherst, N.H.) scored on a low shot inside the far post at 2:48 and then Hernon's centering pass from the right wing found Sexton for her second goal of the day at 1:50.
Jessica Lee (Southington, Conn.) caused a turnover with a stick check and corralled the ground ball in the waning seconds to preserve the three-goal margin.

SECOND HALF

The 'Cats extended the run to three consecutive goals and lead to 9-5 on Miller's career-high fourth tally at 28:57.
Swift stopped the spurt at 26:20, Leonard's second goal of the game reestablished a four-goal lead, 10-6, at 25:54.
Kennesaw State answered with a 3-0 run to close within 10-9 at 21:45.
Bunn denied Cranney, but the rebound went high into the air and Teagan Northrup (Longmeadow, Mass.) executed the catch-and-shoot at the right doorstep for the goal and 11-9 advantage at 18:41.
New Hampshire called its first timeout of the game at 15:14 and Leonard scored 26 seconds later to push the lead to 12-9 at 14:48.
Siena Gore scored on yet another free position 40 seconds later, however, to trim the deficit to two goals.
Hernon, with the ball at the top-right of the fan, beat her defender to the left and scored at 12:19 to ignite a three-goal rally. Then on a free position from the top, of the fan, Sexton scored on a bounce shot inside the left post at 10:00 for a 14-10 lead.
Leonard's fourth goal of the game gave the 'Cats their largest lead of the game, 15-10, with 5:10 on the clock.
Elizabeth Blanding (Pittsford, N.Y.) reestablished a five-goal cushion, 16-11, with her first goal of the year at 1:09.
The Owls scored twice in the final 20 seconds to cap the scoring.

UNH NOTEBOOK

UNH matched its season high of 16 goals. The Wildcats also scored 16 times against both Sacred Heart University and Central Connecticut State University.
The 'Cats had a season-high 39 shots; the 29 shots on goal ranks second.
Miller has recorded three or more points all six games and has five consecutive multiple-goal efforts.
Miller is tied for the team lead in goals (15) and ranks second in points (20). She also has a team-high 32 shots.
Leonard tallied a career-high four points for the second consecutive game and fourth time this year.
Leonard has a five-game goal scoring streak with three straight multiple-goal games. She ranks third in both goals (13) and points (18).
Sexton is UNH's leader in assists (eight) and points (23); she is tied for the team lead in goals and has a team-best .833 shooting percentage (15 goals/18 shots).
Hernon matched her career highs in points (two) and ground balls (four); she has a four-game point streak.
Smith extended her point streak to five games and assist streak to three.
Cranney has scored a goal each of the past five games.
Northrup has a point in five consecutive games.
In her season debut, Julia Neyland (Boxborough, Mass.) recorded two shots, one ground ball and one draw control.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

New Hampshire finished with the advantage in shots (39-27), shots on goal (29-18), ground balls (17-9), draw controls (16-15) and turnovers I12-13).
UNH was successful on 12 of 13 clear attempts; KSU was 12-for-15.
The Wildcats scored on 4 of 7 free position shots. The Owls had six goals on 11 free-position shots.

SERIES NOTEBOOK