POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 11, 2015) – Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham opened the game on a 4-0 run and never led by less than two goals, as the Devils secured a 12-6 victory over the Brewers in VC's season opener Wednesday evening. FDU-Florham was led by a five-goal, one-assist performance from senior Courtney Rendinaro, while sophomore Joelle Manganella scored three times for the visitors. Junior Kim Mulvehill (Sudbury, MA/Chapel Hill – Chauncey Hill) posted her third career hat trick for the Brewers, but it was not enough as Vassar drops to 0-1 on the year. FDU-Florham improves to 2-1 with the victory.

It was all Devils at the start, as the visitors rattled off four straight goals in the opening 15 minutes to take an early lead on the Brewers at Tenney Stadium on the campus of Marist College. Vassar was not without chances on the offensive end, outshooting Fairleigh Dickinson 10-8 in the first half and 22-19 in the game, but senior goalkeeper Grace Warburton was solid in the cage for the Devils making five of her nine saves in the first half.

Freshman Hannah Cho (West Hartford, CT/Hall) stopped the bleeding for the Brewers at the 15:41 mark, scoring her first collegiate goal to bring the score to 4-1. Rendinaro brought the lead back to four at the 4:49 mark for FDU, and Vassar trailed 5-1 heading into the half.

VC had the momentum coming out of the gate in the second half, as freshman Storm Sideleau (Hopkinton, NH/Kimball Union Academy) notched her first goal in the burgundy and gray off a shot with 27:06 to play. Mulvehill keep things rolling for VC with her first of the game off a dish from junior Isabelle Goldstein (Belmont, MA/Belmont) at the 26:59 mark, cutting the deficit to 5-3.

The Devils took control from then on, going on another four-goal streak spanning over ten minutes to increase their advantage to 9-3. Senior Leigh Anne Baldwin (Simsbury, CT/Westminster School) and Mulvehill got three back for Vassar in the final 15 minutes, but it was not enough as FDU-Florham retained the ball and killed clock to secure the win.

The Devils were opportunistic on free position attempts, scoring of five of six opportunities while Vassar only converted two of six chances. Both sides were plagued by turnovers, with FDU committing 31 to Vassar's 29. Tonight's game was the first time since Vassar topped Old Westbury on March 19, 2014 that neither Dara Davis (Guilford, CT/Guilford) nor Isabelle Goldstein scored a goal.

The Brewers will return to action in sunny Bradenton, FL next week when the squad plays its first game of the Spring Fling Lacrosse Tournament against Keene State on March 15.

--VASSAR--