Ewing, NJ... Halfway through the New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule, The College of New Jersey women's lacrosse team remains on target for its bid to land the top seed in the conference tournament as the Lions stayed unbeaten thanks to a 20-5 win over Rowan University on Tuesday.
 
The win put the fourth-ranked Lions at 11-0 overall and 3-0 in the NJAC. The team that finishes first in the regular season earns the top seed in the inaugural conference tournament, which starts later this month. TCNJ and Montclair State University (2-0), an 11-9 winner over Kean University tonight, are the only two teams left without a loss in league play and meet on April 19 at Montclair State.
 
The loss dropped the Profs to 1-1 in the NJAC and 7-3 overall.
 
The Lions started fast scoring the first five goals of the game with those tallies all coming in the initial 7:31 of the game. Sophomore Cortney Natalicchio (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) opened the scoring 51 seconds into the contest and senior Lauren Pigott (Jobstown, NJ/Northern Burlington) made it 2-0 cashing in on a free-position attempt. TCNJ kept the offense rolling when junior Erin Waller (Washington Twp., NJ/Washington Twp.), Natalicchio, and junior Ava Fitzgerald (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) added goals to extend the difference to 5-0.
 
After the Profs got a goal from Brittany Bollendorf (Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.), the hosts went on another five-goal run to quickly push the margin to 10-1. In that run, senior Jen Garavente (Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) and Pigott recorded goals 14 seconds apart.
 
Rowan stopped that surge with a goal from Jamie Blondina (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) only to have the Lions score four of the final five goals heading into the half. TCNJ held a comfortable 14-3 lead at the break.
 
The Profs made a little push at the start of the second with Blondina and Bollendorf scoring following a Fitzgerald goal that came 1:12 into the new period. That 15-5 deficit was as close as Rowan would get with TCNJ scoring the final four goals.
 
The Lion defense also did its part in the second half not allowing the Profs a goal in the final 21:33.
 
TCNJ goalie Kelly Schlupp (Holland, PA/Council Rock South) recorded the win with six saves.
 
Fitzgerald had a huge night offensively with a season-high seven goals, while Natalicchio scored four times and Waller finished with three goals. Garavente chipped in two goals and three assists.
 
Blondina and Bollendorf each scored twice for the Profs, while goalie Lindsay Barrie (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) finished with nine saves.
 
The Lions host top-ranked Salisbury University (13-0) on Saturday in a 1 p.m. start.