Generals sweep season series against Hawks

(Emile Coufal had a season-high seven goals and one assist against Mohawk Valley Wednesday).

(Courtney Canavan had two goals and one assist Wednesday at Wehrum Stadium).

HERKIMER, NY – Aided by 13 unanswered goals in the span of 40 minutes, the Herkimer Generals women's lacrosse team defeated Mohawk Valley for the second time this season Wednesday afternoon at Wehrum Stadium 16-5.

Herkimer 3-3 (2-0) had their full roster available with Courtney Canavan (Baldwinsville, NY) back after missing the Niagara game. Canavan scored a season-high 10 goals against the Hawks in their previous meeting, adding to a strong offense which has multiple scorers in any given match.

With every player starting at their normal position, it took just 13 minutes for the Generals offense to start to click. After tying twice, freshman Alexis Caughey (Cortland, NY) scored consecutive goals, one on a free position shot and the other on an assist from goalie Kristin Menge (Warwick, NY), to give Herkimer some breathing room with 7:08 left in the first half, leading the game 5-3. Caughey finished with two goals and two assists.

Adding to the lead in the first half was Canavan, Emilie Coufal (Syracuse, NY) and Nicole Evans (Cortland, NY). Within seven minutes, Canavan scored one goal, Coufal scored three goals and Evans scored one goal - all unassisted but one - helping the Generals to an eight goal lead (11-3) at intermission.

In the second half, the Generals ripped off five more unanswered goals. Scoring the first three was Coufal, who finished with a season-high seven goals and one assist. Ending the scoring was freshman Nicole Purcell (McGraw, NY) and Evans. Purcell scored on an assist from Coufal with 25:10 left in the second half, building the General lead to 15-3. 20 seconds later, Evans scored her fourth goal of the game unassisted to give Herkimer a 13 goal lead with 20 minutes left in regulation.

Mohawk Valley managed to dwindle the lead in the final minutes of the game, scoring twice against Menge (16-5), but Menge came out on top, saving eight shots in the match and giving up only five goals.

Herkimer's next match is this Saturday (4/12). The Generals will travel to Erie Community College to take on the Western Athletic Conference Katz. It will be Herkimer's second to last away game of the season before regionals begin the first week of May. Play between the Generals and Kats is scheduled for 1 p.m.

-Giorgio Varlaro; Athletic Website Manager