Montclair, NJ (4/9/08) – Junior Marykate Dibenedetto (Cinnaminson, NJ / Cinnaminson) and sophomore Jamie Hudacko (Montville, NJ / Montville) each scored five goals while senior Jennifer Tanis (Oak Ridge, NJ / Jefferson) added four goals and three assists as Montclair State knocked off Kean University, 21-9 in Skyline Conference women’s lacrosse action at Sprague Field on Wednesday evening.

Senior Bethany Blaine (Moorestown, NJ / Moorestown) added two goals and two assists while Nicole Roselle (Pine Brook, NJ/Montville) chipped in with a goal and three assists as the Red Hawks remained unbeaten in Skyline Conference play at 3-0 while improving to 4-5 overall.

Freshman Rosalia Romeo ( Ridgewood, NJ / Ridgewood) and Amanda South (Fairless Hills, PA/Conwell-Egan) each had three goals for Kean, which dropped its second straight overall and fell to 8-4 on the season. It was the Cougars opening contest in the Skyline Conference (0-1).

Kean took a 1-0 lead just 2:17 into the game as Romeo scored on the Cougars’ first shot of the contest. But Montclair scored six straight over the next 11 minutes while the Red Hawks defense did not allow a shot during that span. Blaine fed Morgan MacPhee ( Toms River, NJ / Toms River East) with 24:41 to play and the found DiBenedetto cutting across in front for what turned out to be the go-ahead goal. Kate Barrie ( Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) scored unassisted and Tanis tallied on a free-position attempt before DiBenedetto’s second with 17:18 left in the half made it 5-1. Blaine would cap the run with her first goal just over 30 seconds later.

Romeo’s second goal with 4:44 left made the score 8-4, but the Red Hawks found the back of the net three more times, including scores by Tanis and Roselle 10 seconds apart as MSU led 11-4 at the half.

In the second half, Montclair State would take a 10-goal advantage twice, including a 16-6 margin with 12:35 to go as Kayla Henderson (Landing, NJ / Roxbury) scored unassisted. But South ran off the next three goals of the contest, including one with 8:21 to play as Kean drew within 16-9. But DiBenedetto scored 13 seconds following an MSU timeout and then followed up a Tanis goal 38 seconds later as MSU restored the lead to 19-1.

Montclair State goalkeeper Talia Katz (Lower Merion, PA / Lower Merion) made 10 saves for the Red Hawks, who outshot the Cougars 42-23. Freshman Ashley Berghold ( Boyertown, PA / Boyertown) made 12 stops for Kean.

Cristin Bentz ( Marlton, NJ / Cherokee) had five draws and four ground balls for Montclair while Blaine collected four draws and Tanis three caused turnovers. Kelly Mataya ( West Paterson, NJ / Passaic Valley) had five draws and two caused turnovers for Kean, which got four ground balls apiece from Chelsea Davis ( Livingston, NJ / Livingston) and Caristin Califf ( Cranford, NJ / Cranford).

Montclair State returns to action on Sunday, April 13 as the Red Hawks face a tall task visiting defending NCAA champion and No. 3 ranked Franklin and Marshall in Lancaster, PA at 2:00 pm.