WASHINGTON – For the first time since 2013, the American University lacrosse team has defeated the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Kellie Linehan and Maddy Spratt combined for 11 goals, while the Eagles put up 17 in total to get their first Patriot League win of the season in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon at the Jacobs Complex. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Linehan's six goals came on just eight shots, and adds a seventh multi-goal game to what's been a breakout offensive season for her. She's already scored 13 more goals than she did last year, and she's just eight behind her single-season career-high with seven games remaining.
• Maddy Spratt followed just behind Linehan, netting five goals on six shots. Today marks the second five-goal came of the season for the senior, who leads AU in points with 34. 
• Becca Frank matched two goals with two assists, bringing her totals to 13 and 12 on the year. Murdoch netted a pair of goals and assisted one of Linehan's, while Alyssa Apuzzo and freshman Madison Barber added a goal apiece. 
• Appuzo had an excellent day distributing the ball, dishing out a season-high three assists. 
• The Eagles had one of their best defensive days of the season, holding Lehigh to single digits until Molly Snow scored the Mountain Hawks' 10th goal with just 46 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Eight of their 12 turnovers were caused by American, as Jenna Walls, Darby Sherrod, and Caroline McBride forced two each. Linehan and Murdoch both forced one.  
• Caleigh Forti had a strong day in goal, saving 50% of the 20 shots Lehigh sent on goal. 
• American moves to 5-4 overall, and 1-1 in Patriot League play. The team is 3-0 at home so far this season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles fell behind in the first minute of the game, allowing a free position women-up goal from Kacie Wines after Annabelle Jackson was issued a green card. 
• Apuzzo tied the score at 9:31 mark, finishing off a patient possession from the Eagles by beating Julia DeLitta to the near post with just nine seconds on the shot clock. Linehan gave AU the lead with her first goal at 1:37, and the Eagles never gave it back from that point forward. 
• The game remained tight in the second quarter, as the teams traded goals through the first seven minutes. Spratt scored two and Linehan scored one, with goals from Snow and Wines in between to make the score 4-3 with 8:19 remaining. Finally, Linehan Barber struck the back of the net back-to-back times, but Snow added one more before the end of the second. The score was 6-4 at halftime. 
• The Eagles broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Lehigh 6-1 and separating themselves from the Mountain Hawks. With the score 7-5 after a goal from Frank early in the frame, Murdoch scored off a free position chance, then Linehan and Spratt netted a pair to close the quarter with five straight for AU. Linehan scored with just four seconds remaining, and the Eagles took a 12-5 lead into the fourth. 
• After Frank scored again to make it 13-5, Ava Jennings, Quinn Meyer, and Grace Martel scored three straight for Lehigh to bring the visitors back within striking distance with 8:34 left to play. 
• A goal from Linehan stopped the bleeding on Lehigh's run, then Spratt provided the exclamation point to an outstanding day for American with one more. Receiving a quality feed from Apuzzo from behind the net, Spratt one-timed her shot past DeLitta in a blink to make the score 15-8.
• Murdoch and Linehan added two more for the Eagles, and Snow scored the final goal of the day to end it 17-10 to AU. 

• The Eagles will head up to Massachusetts for a Patriot League matchup with Holy Cross next Saturday, March 22. 

• For the latest on AU Lacrosse, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Lacrosse) and Instagram (@au_wlax).