The Jaspers improve to 4-1 in MAAC play and 9-4 overall. Iona drops to 0-5 in conference and 1-13 on the season.
Burns collected two assists on the day to give her 19 on the season, surpassing Rory Maguire, '02's 18 assists back in 1999. Burns' helpers came on goals from sophomore attacker Alaina Burgess (Holden, MA / The Governor's Academy) as part of a 5-0 Manhattan run in the first half. However, the Gaels tallied three of the final four goals in the frame for a 6-5 Jasper edge at halftime.
Manhattan responded with three unanswered strikes from Burgess, freshman attacker Grace Lipponer (Lake Grove, NY / Sachem North) and Burns to open the second half. After Iona made it 9-6 at the 17.59 mark, Prestiano denied Emma Rippon on a free position attempt for the milestone save with 16:58 left in the game. Prestiano becomes the fourth Jasper goalkeeper in program history to hit 500 saves.
Five Jaspers tallied multiple goals on the day, with Burns three goals and two assists a team-best. Lipponer and Burgess each added a hat trick, with the former picking up an assist as well. Senior midfielder Caitlin Murphy (Carmel, NY / Carmel) and senior tri-captain Molly Fitzpatrick (Yorktown, NY / Lakeland) each notched two goals.
Four Gaels recorded at least two points, while goalkeeper Shannon McCaffrey made 12 saves in net.
The Kelly Green and White turns its attention to Senior Day on Saturday, April 13, when the team hosts Quinnipiac at 5:00 pm. The ceremony for the eight-member Class of 2019 will begin at approxmiately 4:35 pm.
Nikki reflected on the milestone and today's game in an interview with the Jasper Sports Network earlier today! #JasperNation pic.twitter.com/mpN8WPLnVr
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) April 11, 2019
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Manhattan picked up its third-straight triumph over Iona.
- Fitzpatrick also moved into third place all-time with 120 career goals, leapfrogging Alicia Psillos '08. She has scored multiple times in 12 of her 13 games this season.
- In addition to her career feat, Prestiano also eclipsed 100 saves this year, her third consecutive season after corralling 99 in 2016.
- With Burns, Lipponer and Murphy reaching the 30-point plateau on Wednesday, the Jaspers have four players with 30+ points for the first time since 2017.
- Burns' points streak rises to 10 games, while Lipponer's improves to six.
- Burgess added three goals, giving her 18 on the season and 13 in MAAC play.
- Fitzpatrick paced the team with six ground balls, while she tied with Lipponer and junior defender Caileigh Lampersberger (Yorktown Heights, NY / Yorktown) with a team-high two caused turnovers.
- Senior tri-captain Emma Kaishian (Yorktown, NY / Yorktown) controlled a game-high six draws.
- Manhattan outshot Iona 33-20 on the game, including 18-9 in the second stanza.
- The J's were a perfect 13-13 on clears, gobbled up 24 ground balls and forced 23 turnovers from the Gaels.
Head Coach Katie McConnell also broke down some of the milestones today, her thoughts on the defense this year and looks ahead to Quinnipiac on Saturday. #JasperNation pic.twitter.com/SswhbNbXm6
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) April 11, 2019
FIRST HALF
- Iona struck twice to open the game on scores from Danielle Keenan and Libby Miller.
- Fitzpatrick got the J's on the board off a free position opportunity 9:35 in.
- Junior midfielder Emily Sandford (Floral Park, NY / Sacred Heart) found senior attacker Talia Price (Kinnelon, NJ / Kinnelon) on the right wing for the equalizer at the 16:59 mark.
- Forty seconds later, Burns floated a pass from behind the net to a cutting Burgess, and Manhattan took a 3-2 lead.
- The two connected again on a woman-up goal, made possible from an Erin O'Donnell yellow card, with 11:47 to go.
- A nice pass from Lipponer and a nifty, one-timer flick from Murphy in the left slot made it 5-2 Jaspers as the clock read 8:51.
- Iona's Caton Brisbin closed the 5-0 Manhattan run with a free position goal with just over five minutes remaining.
- From over 12 meters out, Sandford found Lipponer in front of the net as the rookie twisted to find twine less than a minute later.
- Madi Kochanek and Keenan closed out the half with two goals in 52 seconds, beginning at the 1:00 mark.
SECOND HALF
- Just over two and a half minutes in, Prestiano went low and got the pocket on a free position shot from Rippon, her fourth save of the game.
- Manhattan's three goals to begin the frame were all unassisted.
- Leah Marshall put the Gaels on the board in the second at 17:59, with the assist coming from Christine Gironda.
- On Rippon's shot for Prestiano's 500th, the Jasper made a waist-high save to her left.
- Fitzpatrick putted a shot in after her initial attempt was blocked with just under 16 minutes on the clock.
- At the midway point, Burns fought off contact for a superb split-dodge and buried her shot in the top-right corner to put Manhattan on top 11-6, its largest advantage at the time.
- Katherine Meyer retaliated 38 seconds later for her first goal of the tilt.
- Sophomore midfielder Carmella Liscio (Blauvelt, NY / Tappan Zee) patiently waited in the left corner and fed one to a speeding Murphy on the left side. The Carmel product deposited the shot in the lower-left corner. It was a woman-down goal with 7:41 remaining.
- Iona's Marshall concluded the scoring for Iona with 5:13 left in the period.
- After catching Murphy's pass, Lipponer stopped and pivoted left for a twizzler shot that hit the top-right shelf, giving the J's a 13-8 edge at the 4:28 mark.
- Burns rounded out the scoring at 3:08 with a bounce shot through two Gael defenders.
- Prestiano's final save of the day came at Marshall's expense with one second on the clock.
Grace Lipponer brought twizzlers today, and she was handing them out. ??
— Manhattan WLacrosse (@ManhattanWLax) April 11, 2019
Blink and you'll miss an incredible pivot for a top-shelf strike! #JasperNation #SCTop10 #NCAAWLAX
cc: @ESPNAssignDesk @NCAALAX @USLacrosse @USLacrosseMag pic.twitter.com/uGQbwObvUP