GREENVILLE, Pa. -- Senior Sarah Basden (Malibu, Calif./Thousand Oaks) had a career-best nine points, including eight assists, as the Allegheny women's lacrosse team opened the 2019 campaign with a 19-2 win at Thiel.

Basden's eight assists ranks third in program history and are the most in a single game by a Gator since McKenzie Bell equaled the school record of nine against Hiram on April 23, 2014. It is also the second highest total in a game thus far this season in Division III.

The first three of Basden's assists came in the first half, with two going to senior Alex Zielinski (Erie, Pa./McDowell). Basden followed that up with five helpers after halftime, three to sophomore Brenna Lawler (Randolph, N.J./Randolph), who led all players with a career-best five goals.

Lawler opened the scoring for the season 1:39 into play when she scored off an assist by freshman Mary Allen (Victor, N.Y./Victor). Less than one minute later, senior Taylor Vigneri (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua Academy) added a goal, assisted by senior Alex Grob (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton). Allen would score two goals of her own in the first half, while Zielinski recorded a hat trick in the opening half, which ended with the Gators ahead, 10-2. Allegheny tacked on nine more unanswered goals in the second half for the eventual final.

Eight different Gators found the back of the net on the evening, with four completing a hat trick: Lawler (five goals), Vigneri, Zielinski and Allen (three apiece). Sophomore Evi Malagise (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) matched Lawler for second on the team with five points on two goals and three assists. Junior Rhiannon King (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) and freshman Devin Gaffney (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) both scored once, with the latter's being the first tally of her career.

Zielinski led Allegheny with four ground balls, while Malagise and sophomore Gretchen Barbera (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth) picked up three apiece. Allen, Basden and senior Laurence Busque (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Twp.) each snagged two ground balls. Allen also had 11 seven draw controls and three caused turnovers and Zielinski added four DCs and three caused turnovers. Barbera and Busque posted three and two caused turnovers, respectively.

Junior Steph Shakespeare (Pittsburgh, Pa./Peters Township) earned the victory in goal, her eighth in the last two seasons, playing the first 39:24 of the game. Sophomore Mo Pittser (Erie, Colo./Niwot) completed the final 20:36 without allowing a goal.

For the game, the Blue & Gold boasted a 31-5 advantage on shots, allowing just one shot in the second half, and none on goal. Of those 31 shots, 25 landed on goal. Allegheny was also 17-of-19 on clears, while holding Thiel to 11-of-19.

The Gators, who began the season with a win for the third-straight time, will travel to Washington, Pennsylvania on Friday, March 1 for a 5 p.m. match at Washington & Jefferson.