April 4, 2001

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Sophomore Jackie Higgins (Manhasset, N.Y.) scored four goals and added an assist as the Villanova Wildcats held off a late charge to defeat the Fairfield Stags 15-14 in a women's lacrosse game played Wednesday afternoon at Villanova Stadium. The win is Villanova's (4-7 overall, 2-1 Patriot League) fourth of the season, eclipsing the entire season win total in each of the past two campaigns.

Junior Cecily Pierce (New Canaan, Conn.) added two goals and a career-high three assists while classmate Sarah DePeters scored three times for the winners. Jessica Conahan scored five times for Fairfield.

Villanova got two goals from DePeters and one from freshman Rachel Damalouji (Huntingtown, Md.) to build a 3-0 advantage before the contest was six minutes old. Fairfield cut the deficit to 3-2 on goals from Conahan and Meghan Uhr but the Wildcats scored the next six goals to create an 8-2 lead with 6:28 to go in the first half. At halftime Villanova owned a 9-4 edge.

Fairfield, though, did not surrender. After a Pierce goal at the 25:10 mark of the second half made it 10-4 Villanova, the Stags scored three in a row to cut the deficit in half. Higgins then set up DePeters for a goal at the 18:58 mark but Conahan scored 38 seconds later to make it an 11-8 contest. Sophomore Caitlin Cocks scored her second goal of the game and that was followed by Meghan Carolan's second goal of the afternoon at the 13:04 mark to push Villanova's lead to 13-8.

However, Fairfield stormed back to score the game's next four goals to cut the margin to 13-12 at the 9:54 mark. Higgins then scored twice in the next six minutes to give the 'Cats a bit of breathing room. But goals from Lauren Uhr with 1:08 left and Megan Cunningham (:36 seconds) brought the Stags to within one. That is how the game ended.

Villanova next sees action on April 12 when it hosts St. Joseph's at 4:00 p.m. at Villanova Stadium.