DALLAS, Pa., Saturday, March 26, 2011--  Arcadia University Women's Lacrosse looked to their two leading scorer's while their defense and midfielders steadied the transition game as the Knights rolled to a 16-7 road victory against host Misericordia University Saturday afternoon. The win prevents Arcadia from falling to 0-4 in the league, a mark now owned by the Cougars (2-5, 0-4), as the Knights score their first MAC win of the season where they are 1-3, improving to 2-3 overall. Today's win, their first since the season opener on March 4, is an important one for the Knights who are looking to make their first ever appearance in the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship tournament in early May. This week's unseasonably cold weather wreaked havoc on the league's schedule as there are eight teams still a game or two back. The Knights now look ahead to their home game against Elizabethtown College (3-0 MAC) this Wednesday as their next step in their quest for a post-season bid.

Providing their usual offensive antics were the team's two top scorers. Junior Stephanie Holguin and sophomore Meghan Fallon dished out much of the damage, robbing Misericordia for a combined 14 points on the blustery afternoon in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Holguin finished with a game high seven goals and an assist while Fallon scored six times with one helper. Fallon continues to lead the Knights in scoring, with 21 goals and 24 points through the first five games, while Holguin is not far behind with 16 goals and 18 points.

The two got thing started early on, with a pair of free position scores at 17:41 from Fallon and 17:06 from Holguin giving the Knights an early 2-0 lead. Misericordia would battle back with two goals from Kate Pagnota, who finished with six points for the Cougars, to tie the game at two-all. When Fallon made it 3-2 Knights a minute later, Pagnota responded with her third of the game, and a 3-3 stalemate on the scoreboard with 9:17 to play in the half. And then the Knights went on a game-changing run, as their defense tightened up and allowed their attackers to take it to the hosts with four straight goals over the next 5:27 giving Arcadia a 7-3 advantage by halftime.

The two teams traded tallies to open the second half, with another free position from Holguin followed by a Misericordia score. It was an 8-4 Arcadia lead when again, the Knights looked to Fallon who dialed up Misericodira keeper Colleen Hunt for three straight goals, at 24:01, 21:23 and 16:54, allowing Arcadia a comfy 11-4 margin they would never relinquish. Arcadia would press on to outscore the home team 5-3 over the final fourteen minutes of regulation.

First-year keeper Deanna Thompson responded with her best performance of the season to date, warding off seven of Misericordia's 18 shots on goal to notch her first collegiate victory in goal.  Her classmate Sara Volk-Perez scored her fifth and sixth goals of the season, and received head coach Erin Livingston's nod as the key to the team's successful and consistent day in the transition game, as she complemented her two goals with five ground balls. Holguin added five ground balls, but it was first-year Katie Bauer who paced the team with six. Senior Kreena Patel scored twice and added four ground balls to round out the Knights' goal-getters. On defense, senior Kelsey Unger registered four caused turnovers while sophomore Johanna Castiblanco added three of the Knights' 15 CT's on the afternoon. 

Statistically, the Knights led Misericordia in shots, 28-26, ground balls, 31-19 and committed fewer turnovers a 23-19 margin.