New London, CT- The Dean College women's lacrosse team scored a statement victory on Saturday, taking down Mitchell College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action by a final score of 21-3. Dean now improves to 6-4 (3-2) on the season, while Mitchell drops to 1-5 (1-3).

The Bulldogs took control early, with Natalie Peterson (Hudson, MA) scoring the first of her season-high seven goals at the 10:32 mark of the first quarter. Dean built a 5-0 lead by the end of the quarter, thanks to goals from Peterson, Haley Gaunt (Johnston, RI), and Emma Mock (Tunkhannock, PA). Mitchell's Chloe Jennings scored late in the first period to put the Mariners on the board, but Dean was already in firm control, leading 5-1 at the end of the first 15 minutes.

In the second quarter, Dean continued to pour it on, with Alisha Caldeira (West Bridgewater, MA) opening the scoring at 9:13. Jennings briefly answered for Mitchell at 7:59, making it 6-2, but Gaunt and Nina Medeiros (Fairhaven, MA) responded with goals that stretched the lead to 9-2. Dean's offensive depth was on full display as Peterson, Gaunt, and Medeiros each scored multiple goals, and by halftime, the Bulldogs had a commanding 12-2 lead. The strong offensive performance was matched by a solid defensive effort, as Mitchell struggled to find any sustained offensive rhythm.

The Bulldogs did not let up in the second half, continuing to dominate in both scoring and possession. In the third quarter, Dean added six more goals, with Gaunt and Mock each scoring again. The Mitchell defense could do little to slow down the relentless Bulldog attack, and at the end of the third quarter, Dean led 18-3. Dean's ability to win draw controls and maintain possession helped keep the pressure on Mitchell throughout the game.

The final quarter saw Dean's offense continue to roll, with a trio of goals to close out the match. Peterson, Caldeira, and Allie Stockwell each found the back of the net, finishing the game with a 21-3 scoreline. The Bulldogs' well-rounded attack, led by Peterson, Gaunt, Medeiros, and Mock, proved too much for Mitchell to handle.

Peterson's seven goals led Dean's box score, followed by a five-point day from Caldeira. Medeiros finished the afternoon with four points, and two other Bulldogs finished with three points each. Shea Cassani (Belgrade, ME) made nine saves in-goal for Dean.

The Bulldogs round-out their road trip on Saturday, April 5th, with another GNAC contest with Emmanuel College at 4:00PM.