Washington, D.C. – Junior midfielder Julia Blakeslee (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca) scored a career high-tying four goals to lead the Le Moyne College women's lacrosse team to a 14-12 victory over Howard University in NEC action on Saturday afternoon at Greene Stadium.

The Dolphins scored twice in the opening three minutes to take a lead they would not relinquish. Senior attacker Alexa Strelick (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) started the scoring just 34 seconds into the game. Just over two minutes later, junior midfielder Maddi Barney (Lorraine, N.Y./South Jefferson) converted a free-position shot.

Sophia Lima got the Bison on the scoreboard with 11:12 remaining in the first quarter.

Sophomore midfielder Emily Markovina (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) pushed Le Moyne's lead back to two off a free-position shot 32 seconds later.

Taylor Harris closed out the scoring in the opening quarter with 5:50 left by finishing off a feed from Tea Vasquez.

Blakeslee netted her first goal of the contest with 14:01 remaining until halftime after taking a pass from redshirt junior attacker Olivia Lockwood (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/Onondaga C.C.).

Lima converted a free-position shot with 13:13 left to get Howard within one for the final time.

The Dolphins followed with the next two goals. Sophomore midfielder Carrie Bennett (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) found the back of the net with 11:23 to go after receiving a dish from sophomore attacker Mackenzie Prentice (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse). Just under two minutes later, Blakeslee finished off a feed from Prentice during an extra-player situation.

Leah Croom capped Howard's scoring in the half with 8:24 to go off a pass from Chase Coleman.

Le Moyne scored five times in the final eight minutes to take an 11-4 lead into halftime. Lockwood started the run at the 7:56 off a pass from graduate student attacker Francesca Tortora (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse/Stony Brook). She scored against 92 seconds later following a feed from Prentice. Lockwood scored again with 4:32 remaining after receiving a pass from senior attacker Bella Sampo (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill). Tortora got the Dolphins into double digits with 3:45 remaining until halftime. Blakeslee completed the scoring in the half with 1:21 to go.

The Dolphins extended their lead to nine with the first two goals of the third quarter. Blakeslee tallied the first of the two off a pass from Sampo with 9:26 to go. Junior attacker Sophie Klein (Slingerlands, N.Y./Bethlehem) recorded her first goal of the season with 7:15 remaining off a feed from Strelick.

Howard scored the final three goals of the quarter to get within 13-7. Gabrielle Nelson started the spurt with 6:45 left. Croom followed at the 5:13 mark by converting a free-position shot in an extra player situation. Harris tallied an unassisted marker with 3:45 to go.

The Bison continued their run with the first two goals of the fourth quarter. Lima found the back of the net on a free-position shot 49 seconds into the quarter. Nelson made another free-position shot with 9:37 remaining in the game.

Barney snapped Howard's run with her 18th goal of the season with 5:40 to go off a pass from Lockwood.

The Bison scored three times in 39 seconds to get within two. Following two cards on the Dolphins, Nelson scored in the 7-on-5 situation with 2:43 remaining. Rylie Davis followed 15 seconds later by finishing off a pass from Lima in an extra-player situation. After another green card on the Dolphins, Sawyer Walker scored with 2:04 left to force a Le Moyne timeout.

Junior goalkeeper Amanda Manfredi (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) earned the win between the pipes after making four saves (against four goals) over 32:04 over two stints between the pipes. London James-Golas made six saves in the setback for the Bison.

Le Moyne (7-2, 2-0 NEC), which improved to 5-1 on the road this season, is back in action at home on Wednesday against Mercyhurst University at 3:00 p.m.