STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Junior Michaela Hardy (Reading, Mass.) erupted for a career-high seven goals to lead the 14^th-ranked University of New Hampshire women’s lacrosse team to Saturday afternoon’s 17-10 America East victory over Stony Brook University at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

Ashley Milley

The Wildcats, who have not lost in over a month, record their ninth-straight win to improve to 10-2, including 3-0 in America East. The Seawolves, losers of two straight, fall to 5-5 overall and 0-3 in the conference.

Hardy’s seven-point performance erased her previous career highs of six goals and six points March 12 versus Harvard. Sophomore Shaunna Kaplan (Framingham, Mass.) equaled her career high in goals (3) for the fifth time in her career, and points (4) for the seventh time. Juniors Sarah Von Bargen (East Setauket, N.Y.) and Ashley Durepo (Concord, N.H.) also submitted four-point efforts. Von Bargen tallied three goals and an assist, while Durepo recorded a goal and three assists. Senior goalkeeper Ashley Milley (Sudbury, Mass.) tied her career high for the fourth time by making 13 saves, including eight in the second frame. Her previous high this season was 12 saves March 15 at Vanderbilt.

Freshman Susie Piotrkowski (North Franklin, Conn.) kicked off the scoring when she netted the first of her two goals just two and a half minutes into the contest. Piotrkowski would also add an assist on Kaplan’s third goal of the day. Stony Brook came right back, however, scoring the first of three straight goals just 15 seconds later.

After Von Bargen struck at 23:18, Hardy found the back of the net two times – including the first off a free position – to give UNH a 4-3 lead at 16:24. Kaitlin Leggio scored her second of the game to tie it at 14:20, before the Wildcats reeled off six straight – three consecutive from Hardy to start the run – to close the half with a 10-4 advantage.

Hardy picked up her sixth goal to start the second half at 26:38. Stony Brook’s Samantha Djaha followed with a pair of goals sandwiched around tallies by Kaplan and Durepo to make it 13-6 with 19:08 remaining. Freshman Deb Dale (East Northport, N.Y.) recorded her second collegiate point with an assist on Kaplan’s goal.

At 17:33, Von Bargen kicked off a streak of four straight goals for UNH that would cap its scoring and open up a 17-6 lead with 10:39 left. Kaplan, senior Moira Talbot (Marblehead, Mass.) and Hardy added the other three goals. Talbot also earned an assist in the game when she set up Von Bargen’s second goal.

Stony Brook added four goals, including two more from Djaha, over the final 6:38 to close the scoring.

Jamie Carlson, who was tagged with the loss for Stony Brook, recorded four saves, while Mickey Cahill stopped three shots for the Seawolves.

Despite the outcome, Stony Brook held advantages in shots (31-30), ground balls (35-23) and draw controls (23-6).

The Wildcats return to action when they play the middle game of their three-game road trip Wednesday, April 9 at 3 p.m. against the University of Vermont at Moulton Winder Field.