The Muhlenberg women's lacrosse team used an outstanding defensive effort in the first half to defeat Montclair State, 13-9, in its final scheduled non-conference game of the season.

The win was the 41st in the career of the nine-member senior class, breaking the school record for wins in a four-year period. The Class of 2017 is 41-21, topping the classes of 2016 (40-26) and 2009 (40-22).

Bouncing back from a loss three days earlier that snapped their school-record eight-game winning streak, the Mules (9-2) posted an impressive win against a Red Hawk squad whose only previous losses are to teams that appear in this week's Division III poll. In its last game, Montclair State (7-4) was tied with top-ranked TCNJ midway through the second half before falling, 8-3.

Muhlenberg matched that score at the end of the first half, erasing an early 3-1 deficit by holding the Red Hawks scoreless for the final 22:53. The Mules opened the second half with four straight goals, making it an 11-0 run and an unscored-on streak of more than 34 minutes.

Senior Sara Allison made a season-high 13 saves, including nine in the first half. Senior Alli April led the defense with four ground balls and two caused turnovers, while another member of the record-breaking senior class, Allison Murnick (pictured above), collected three ground balls. 

Offensively, junior Jordy Bonvini scored six goals for her sixth consecutive hat trick. Sophomore Amanda Tullo added three goals on three shots for the Mules, who were efficient with their attempts, finding the back of the net on 13 of their 21 shots.

Tullo scored off a feed from Bonvini just 14 seconds into the game, but Montclair responded with the next three goals. Muhlenberg regained the lead by netting three goals in a span of 1:24, including scores by Bonvini and Tullo nine seconds apart.

Senior Nora Fisher found classmate Kelsey Nagle wide open in front of the cage to make it 8-3 with 3:41 left in the half, and two goals by Bonvini, one by Tullo and one by senior Stephanie D'Ascoli to start the second half made it 12-3 with 18:53 remaining.

The Red Hawks made it somewhat interesting by scoring six of the final seven goals, but Allison saved a free-position shot on their final possession, and the Mules cleared the ball and ran off the last minute.