Box Score

To tie the best start in program history, the Muhlenberg women's lacrosse team showed it could adapt quickly to unfamiliar situations.

The Mules scored 12 second-half goals to come from behind and defeat Lebanon Valley, 18-11, in their home opener. With a 5-0 record, they matched the 2007 team for the best start, and they will try to tie the mark for longest winning streak in one season on Saturday at Montclair State.

Senior Casey Armstrong and junior Stephanie D'Ascoli scored four goals apiece, and junior Nora Fisher recorded three goals, two assists and four draw controls. Junior Kelsey Nagle added a goal to her four assists, and junior Sara Allison came on in the second half to make eight saves.

Without about seven minutes left on the pregame clock, the teams were sent back into the locker room for a lightning delay. After close to a half hour, Muhlenberg returned to the field and finished its warmups but had to wait again when the prerecorded national anthem wouldn't play. Eager to get going, the Mules delighted the fans by singing The Star Spangled Banner themselves.

As for the actual game, the Mules found themselves down 7-6 at halftime - a far cry from their first four games, which they led by an average of more than six goals at the half. Pushed for the first time this season, Muhlenberg responded by scoring six goals in the first eight minutes of the second half to take command.

Fisher had two goals and an assist in the run, and she also had perhaps the surest sign that it was going to be the Mules' day: Shortly after D'Ascoli scored the go-ahead goal, Fisher's long pass into the area in front of the goal went over the stick of a teammate but managed to find its way into the back of the net to make it 9-7.

The Dutchmen (3-3), who have advanced to the ECAC Mid-Atlantic championship game each of the last three years and whose two previous losses were to teams receiving votes in the Division III poll, stopped the Muhlenberg run with a goal to close to within 12-9 just over nine minutes into the half. Lebanon Valley controlled the ensuing draw, but Armstrong stole the ball with a stick check from behind, and a free-position shot by sophomore Jordy Bonvini 20 seconds later started a 3-0 run that put the game out of reach at 15-8.

Bonvini scored two goals and added five draw controls. Freshman Caroline Dolan controlled four draws, helping Muhlenberg to a 10-7 advantage in the second half. Senior Arielle Sherman also scored two goals.