NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Norwich University women's lacrosse team cruise to an 18-1 victory over the Albertus Magnus College Falcons in the 2015 season opener to clinch their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference win of the year on Saturday afternoon at Celentano Field.

Senior midfielder Hope Royce (Washington, Vt.) scored a career-high six goals while junior Larissa Gokey (St. Johnsbury, Ct.) and sophomore Chapel Guarnieri (Pepperell, Mass.) each scored three goals for the Cadets.

Royce had six draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Guarnieri had five draw controls with two ground balls as junior defender Caroline Manning (Duxbury, Mass.) had a team-high four caused turnovers.

Royce would get Norwich (1-0, 1-0 GNAC) on the scoreboard less than three minutes into the contest and sophomore Meaghan Albert (Lanesborough, Mass.) added her first goal four minutes later. After a pair of goals from senior Emma Smith (Patterson, N.Y.), Royce and Gokey, the Cadets were ahead with an 8-0 lead with 4:15 left in the first half before Royce tallied her fourth and fifth goal of the game to extend the Cadets' lead to 10-0 at the break.

Norwich would open the second half with a pair of goals before Albertus Magnus (0-1, 0-1 GNAC) got on the board when Jenny Luna (Brentwood, N.Y.) scored with 25:21 left to play. The Cadets would add six unanswered goals in the remaining minutes for the 18-1 victory.

Senior Irene Okubo (Chicago, Ill.) finished the contest with seven stops in 60 minutes of work. Norwich scored five of the 18 goals on free-position attempts and out hustled the Falcons on ground balls (26-21) and draw controls (14-7).

The Cadets will be back in on Sunday, March 15 at 1:00 p.m. when they take on in-state foe Castleton State in the home opener.