PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College women's lacrosse team opened up play for the 2020 campaign today, Saturday, Feb. 22, hosting Keystone College at GoValiants.com Field. The Valiants dominated the Giants in every facet of the game en route to the 22-1 victory. Nine different players recorded at least a point in the win, led by junior Melissa O'Mara (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) (six goals), junior Hailey DeStasio (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) (two goals, three assists) and sophomore Lara Keenan (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) (four goals, one assists).
 
The Valiants (1-0) saw their first goal of the came come from freshman Marisa D'Angelo (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur). The rookie attacker got the start against Keystone (0-1) and put her first-career shot in the back of the net – assisted by Keenan – just 10 seconds into her debut. D'Angelo finished with three goals and one assist as she was one of three Valiants with a hat trick. Overall, Manhattanville scored seven times in the first 10 minutes of the contest, getting two from O'Mara.
 
Eventually, the Valiants shifted the game to a running clock by going up by 10 goals with 16:59 remaining in the first half. Manhattanville's 11th goal of the game came from sophomore Caity Bianchi (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) – the defender transferred from Division II Saint Leo University in the offseason – as she scooped up the ground ball and scored by herself. The squad scored five more times before the end of the half to head into the intermission up 15-1. Junior Nicole DeMealo (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) scored the 15th goal of the half for Manhattanville.
 
The offense slowed down for the Valiants in the second. Rookie Maura Kelly (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) kicked it off with her first-career goal. She would get another one in the final three minutes to finish with two on the day. Keenan then ran off for three straight to get four on the afternoon.
 
Highlights:

• Manhattanville outshot Keystone 33-5 in shots on goal. The Valiant also held the advantage in draw controls (20-4) and ground balls (31-20).
• Sophomore Ally Petricca (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park Memorial) scored two goals on Saturday, adding an assist as well. Another second-year Valiant – Brialee Logue (Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet) – ended with a goal and an assist.
• DeStasio led all players with seven ground balls. Keenan (5) and Petricca (4) scooped up several as well.
• O'Mara (8), Keenan (8) and Kelly (4) recorded all the draw controls for Manhattanville.

The Valiants return to action for another home non-conference matchup this Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26, at 3:30 p.m. against Ramapo College. Manhattanville and the Roadrunners are tied 3-3 all-time, with the Valiants taking the most recent meeting 10-8 back in 2017.