Seaford, N.Y. - The women's rugby team picked up its first victory of the 2019 season, defeating Castleton, 3-0, in 10 v. 10 play at Cedar Creek Park. Molloy improves to 1-2 on the season with the victory while the loss set the Spartans at 1-2. 

Game 1: Molloy 22, Castleton 5

• Molloy contolled the first half of play, with senior Kaitlyn Snyder scoring her first two collegiate tries to give Molloy a 10-0 lead. 
• Sophomore Aubrey Kelley added a conversion to end the first half with the home team in front, 12-0. 
• Snyder added a third try to start the second half before the Spartans scored to set the score at 17-5.
• Graduate student Keisha Hoskins found the try zone in the final seconds of the contest to round the score at 22-5.
• Seniors Madison Howell and Colleen Elliot, junior Olivia Sturiano, and sophomore Kaitlyn DeMaio led the Lions defensively with three tackles each.

Game 2: Molloy 33, Castleton 0

• Freshman Kimmie Williams and junior Jen Hernandez each scored their first tries of the season in the first half of the second game. 
• Kelley made three conversions to give the maroon and white a 21-0 advantage at the break.
• Elliot and Hoskins found the try zone in the second half, paired with one conversion from Kelley to take the contest, 33-0.
• DeMaio, Hernandez, Howell, and sophomore Giselle Ust each tallied two tackles.

Game 3: Molloy 26, Castleton 5

• Sturiano scored her first two tries of the season in the first half of the final game. 
• Hoskins tallied her second, paired with two conversions from Kelley to give Molloy a 17-0 lead.
• Hoskins opened the final 10 minutes of play with a try, setting the score at 26-0 after a successful conversion from Kelley.
• Castleton got on the board as time expired, but Molloy ended the contest in front, 26-5.
• Howell and Sturiano each finished the final contest with three tackles. 

Coach's Comments
"Our back line was able to take advantage of the short-sided match which  created more space for them to attack on the field. I was proud of Kaitlyn, Keisha, and Kimmie for exploiting the gaps in the defensive end and scoring their first tries today," commented Head Coach Melissa Olman. "As a team, we are really starting to come together with every practice and game. Today was a big confidence booster that we needed headed into next week's match against a strong LIU team. We have a lot of new players that are really starting to understand the game."

Up Next
Molloy will play its final home game of the 2019 campaign on Sunday (Sept. 22) at 11:00 a.m. against LIU Post. The Lions will recognize its senior members, Colleen Elliot and Madison Howell in a pre-game ceremony.