FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Shenandoah University women's lacrosse team opened its 2018 ODAC slate Monday with an 11-7 victory over Roanoke College.

Playing at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, the Hornets (2-2, 1-0 ODAC) made a four-goal halftime lead stand up against Roanoke (2-1, 0-1).

The Maroons briefly made matters interesting by four of the first six goals of the second half before SU scored twice in a span of 27 seconds to seal the win.

Roanoke cut its deficit to two, 9-7, following a Jenn Schwechheimer goal with 9:45 remaining. Jordyn Miller and Cassie Arndt answered for the Hornets at 4:59 and 4:32, respectively, to expand the Hornets lead back out to four goals.

The Shenandoah defense, which held the Maroons to 10 second half shots, did not allow RC a shot in the remaining four and half minutes of play.

Coach Lindsey Lutz' squad did not trail in the contest, and took a lead it would not relinquish with a three-goal run midway through the first half.

Senior Abby Zorrilla put the Hornets on top to stay by finishing off an Arndt feed at the 21:42 mark of the first.

Alyson Bittinger and Alexandra Simonson followed with free position goals at 11:09 and 9:17 to push the SU lead out to 5-2.

Roanoke would get no closer than two goals the rest of the way.

Shenandoah outshot the Maroons 29-22 and had a 20-17 advantage in groundballs.

RC won 11 of 20 draw controls.

"Today was a great first ODAC win," Lutz said of her team's fourth win in six lifetime meetings with the Maroons. "We are excited about the future and to build upon today's success."

The Hornets complete their trip to the Sunshine State with an 11 a.m. game Wednesday versus DeSales.

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