TOWSON, Md. – A balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive effort allowed the No. 17/20 Towson University women's lacrosse team to a 14-7 win over Drexel University on Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action.

The Tigers (11-5, 4-2 CAA) clinched a spot and the number two seed in the upcoming CAA Tournament while winning their second straight game.

THE BASICS
No. 17/20 Towson 14, Drexel 7
Johnny Unitas® Stadium, Towson, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Towson started the game by scoring the first five goals of the contest. Redshirt senior attacker Alyssa Ferro opened the scoring with her 14th goal of the season at 28:34. Just 22 seconds later sophomore attacker Natalie Sulmonte powered home a free position shot for the 2-0 lead.
• Ferro added her second goal of the day during that opening run while junior midfielders Kaitlyn Montalbano and Maddie Tribbe also found the back of the net.
• The Towson defense was dominating over the first 20 minutes of the game. The Tigers held Drexel without shot for the first 10 minutes and forced seven early turnovers.  
• Drexel (7-8, 2-3 CAA) got on the board at 9:08 as Devin Nihill scored an unassisted goal.
• After Sulmonte struck for her second of the day, the Dragons got back-to-back goals from Nihill and Lisa Rogers. That made it a 6-3 game with 2:46 showing on the clock.
• Sulmonte scored a free position goal at 2:25 to complete her ninth hat trick of the season.
• Drexel scored the final goal of the first half as Rogers notched a free position goal with eight seconds on the clock.
• Towson took a 7-4 lead at the half.
• Sophomore attacker Carly Tellekamp opened the second half scoring with her 42nd goal of the season at 29:17.
• That goal kicked off a 3-0 run which gave the Tigers a 10-4 lead with 14:37 to play. Senior midfielder Michaela Duranti scored a free position goal before junior midfielder Emily Gillingham scored off a pass from junior defender Tianna Wallpher.
• Drexel scored three straight goals which made it a 10-7 game with 4:33 to play.
• Towson closed the game on a 4-0 run. Tellekamp and Montalbano each scored twice in the final four minutes to secure the 14-7 win.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Tigers held a 27-24 edge in shots and won 16 of the game's 23 draw controls.
• Sophomore Angie Benson made nine saves to earn her 10th win of the year in goal. Carlee Ries made nine saves in the loss for the Dragons.
• The Tiger defense caused 20 of Drexel's 25 turnovers in the game. Nine Tigers recorded at least one caused turnover in the contest. Wallpher had five caused turnovers while redshirt senior defender Michelle Gildea had four.
• Montalbano, Sulmonte and Tellekamp had three goals each in the game. Sulmonte and Tellekamp each added an assist for a team-high four points.
• Senior attacker Samantha Brookhart finished with four assists in the game. That gave her 43 assists for the season which tied Meggie McNamara's school record for single-season assists set in 2009.
• Gillingham had a career-high seven draw controls in the game for the Tigers.
• Nihill led Drexel with three goals in the game.

Towson closes out the regular season on Sunday, April 30 when it hosts Johns Hopkins at noon. The Tigers will honor their seniors prior to the start of the game.