BROOKVILLE, N.Y.– The Long Island University women's lacrosse team (4-4, 1-0 NEC) opened conference play for the year with a 15-7 win over Howard University (1-7, 0-1 NEC) at Shark Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Sharks comeback was led by Selia Lyons, Lindsey Lucia, and Julia Trainor who each contributed four goals, with Lyons and Lucia each assisting two goals and Trainor one.
 
The Bison opened the scoring early in the game and proceeded to score the first five goals of the game during the first quarter. LIU answered back with two goals to end the first and five more unanswered goals in the second quarter to head into halftime leading the Bison, 7-5.
 
The only three Sharks to score in the first half of the game were Lyons (2), Lucia (3), and Trainor (2) with Lyons, Lucia, and Catherine Batterberry each adding an assist.
 
Coming back from halftime, Howard opened the scoring 2:56 after the third quarter opening draw to cut LIU's lead to 7-6. However, the Sharks would respond with another seven consecutive goals by Erin Harkins (assisted by Trainor), Lyons, Lucia, Lyons, Trainor back-to-back, and Juliana Speziale (assisted by Lyons) to lead 14-6 with 5:42 remaining in the game.
 
With 2:42 left in the game the Bison scored but were quickly answered by Harkins scoring her second goal of the day and the final goal of the game, assisted by Lucia to put the Sharks up, 15-7.
 
LIU outshot Howard, 29-16, caused seven turnovers for the Bison, and picked up 24 of the 36 groundballs recorded throughout the game to earn the first conference win of the season. The 15 goals scored was the highest scoring game for the Sharks this year and move to 3-1 at home for the season.
 
The Sharks return to Shark Stadium on Saturday, Mar. 21, when they host Fairleigh Dickinson University (5-4, 1-0 NEC). Opening draw is scheduled for 12 p.m.