Wilkes-Barre, Pa.—Senior midfielder Emily Hawkins (Glenside, Pa./Cheltenham) scored four goals and sophomore goalkeeper Daphne Leenas (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional) made 19 saves to lead Keystone College past Wilkes University, 9-6, in non-conference women's lacrosse action Tuesday afternoon at Schmidt Stadium.

The Giants also received three goals and an assist from junior attacker Alex Smith (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin), a goal and an assist from sophomore midfielder Savanna Robinson (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./Coughlin), and a goal from senior midfielder Nina Hodanich (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) to improve to 1-1 on the season.  Junior midfielder Kyra Boccio scored all six goals for the Colonels, who fell to 1-3.

Tied 3-3 at intermission, Keystone scored four straight goals—two by Smith and one each by Hodanich and Hawkins—in the first 11 minutes of the second half to open up a four-goal lead. 

Boccio then scored three times in the last 16 minutes of play to eventually close the gap to 8-6 before Robinson came up with crucial two draw controls, the first after Boccio's final goal with 1:43 left and the other after Hawkins closed out the scoring with a goal with 57 seconds remaining.  Those two plays by Robinson helped seal the victory.  She finished with three draw controls, three caused turnovers and three grounds balls.

Leenas' 19 saves were a career-high and the second most in a game in Keystone history, just two shy of tying Domonique Swann's all-time mark of 21 against Gwynedd Mercy on April 16, 2015.  Her counterpart, Wilkes' sophomore goalie Sarah Carlini, made nine saves.

Wilkes held a 34-26 advantage in shots and a 26-19 margin in ground balls, but the Colonels were only able to convert 1 of 11 free-position shots, due, in large part, to Leenas' efforts in goal.

Keystone will open its Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) season this Saturday, March 17, against Immaculata University in Immaculata, Pennsylvania, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

News & notes

• Giants snapped a three-game losing skid dating back to last year
• In 35 career games, Hawkins, Keystone's all-time leading scorer, has 152 points on 117 goals and 35 assists
• Leenas picked up her seventh career victory in goal
• Wilkes out-shot the Giants, 22-7, in the first half while Keystone held a 19-12 advantage in the second half
• With three goals today, Smith now has 25 in 27 career games