ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Mar. 22, 2017) – Senior Cooper Sesselman (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) notched four goals in women's lacrosse's 17-9 loss to No. 4 LIU Post at John A. Darcy Field. Senior Alexa Watson (North Massapequa, N.Y.) and sophomore Brianna Wilson (Levittown, N.Y.) each scored two in the effort. The loss drops Molloy to 5-3 (0-2 ECC) on the season while the Pioneers improve to 4-1 (1-0 ECC) with the victory.

The Lions fell behind early, as the Pioneers opened the contest with five consecutive goals, including two from both Connor Bird (Syosset, N.Y.) and Ryan McKinney (Downingtown, Pa.). Sesselman singlehandedly scored Molloy's first three goals, two coming on the free position, to set the score at 7-3 with three minutes remaining in the opening half. Junior Jessica Markowitz (Baldwin, N.Y.) added a marker in the final 20 seconds of the half to bring the maroon and white within three, 7-4, at the half.

The deficit increased back to four on a goal from Alyssa Mallery (Wantagh, N.Y.) in the opening minute of the second half. Sesselman netted her fourth of the day off a feed from Wilson to set the score at 8-5 one minute later. Both teams once again traded blows back and forth, Bird scoring for the Pioneers before Wilson scored off the free position for the Lions, taking the score to 9-6. One minute later, Watson buried a shot to take Molloy within two, the closest margin since the start of the contest.

LIU Post added three scores before Watson once again found the back of the net for her second goal of the night on an assist from sophomore Michaela Siegler (Levittown, N.Y.) to make it 12-8. The Pioneers would score five straight goals in the final 16 minutes before Wilson netted the final marker of the contest, a woman-down free position goal, to end the game 17-9.

Bird led all scorers with six points on six goals. Senior Gabrielle Batista (Hicksville, N.Y.) and junior Lindsey Rzempoluch (Farmingdale, N.Y.) each controlled two draws for the Lions while Sesselman,  Brittany Lang (Hicksville, N.Y.), Lindsay Cafiero (Bethpage, N.Y.), Amanda Reyes (East Meadow, N.Y.), Casie Caiazza (Melville, N.Y.) and Wilson all picked up ground balls. The Lions caused five turnovers on the day by Watson, Cafiero, Reyes, and Emily Bauer (Wantagh, N.Y.) while going 4-of-5 on free position attempts. Goalkeeper Alyssa Chetti (West Babylon, N.Y.) made 10 saves in the net.

The Lions will take the field on Saturday (Mar. 25) as they continue East Coast Conference play against the University of the District of Columbia at 12:00 p.m. at the RVC Sports Complex.