Amy Simon's college head coaching debut was a successful one Saturday as Fredonia held off Wooster, 13-11, in non-conference women's college lacrosse.
Marissa Cussins (Corning, N.Y./Corning West) had five goals and six assists to lead the Blue Devils, who are coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014 and opened this season ranked No. 18 in the pre-season poll released by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Katie Kleine (Cazenovia, N.Y. / Cazenovia) contributed three goals, five ground balls, and four draw controls. Kristie Kleine (Cazenovia, N.Y./Cazenovia) added two goals. Fredonia goalkeeper Nicole Burrows (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) was credited with four saves in her collegiate debut.
Ellie Hudson-Heck had four goals while Shelby Stone and Molly Sennett had three goals and one assist each for Wooster, which trailed 7-3 at halftime, only to cut the margin to one goal four different times in the second half.
The Blue Devils answered with a goal each time, first by Katie Miller (Hamburg, N.Y./Hamburg), then by Emily Polizzi (Rushville, N.Y./Marcus Whitman), and the last two by Cussins. Her fifth goal of the game with 2:30 left completed the scoring.
The game, the season-opener for both teams, was moved to Wooster from Fredonia because of the snow and ice still covering the University Stadium turf field. Instead of opening her coaching career at home, Simon took her team on the road -- and will return to the road next weekend. The Blue Devils are scheduled to visit Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, next Saturday, followed by a trip to Elmira College March 8.
The all-time leading scorer in Fredonia women's lacrosse history and a regional All-American as a player, Simon served as the Blue Devil graduate assistant the past two seasons. She succeeds Chris Case, who remains the women's soccer coach of the Blue Devils.
