PRINCETON, N.J.  – A three-game losing skid on the season came to an end for Villanova on Sunday in commanding fashion, defeating Chapman 21-5 in the Princeton Invitational and the DeNunzio Pool.

The victory marks the largest for Villanova (3-7) in two years, the last one being a 17-goal win over Mount St. Mary's on March 7, 2021 with a 21-4 result. The Wildcats held Chapman (1-8) scoreless throughout the first half to create a stout advantage. Emily Morrissey and Stella Byles paced the team in scoring with four goals each.

Morrissey added on a pair of assists for a team-high six-point day. Gracin Kerry picked up the win between the posts, making seven saves in the first half with four on Chapman power plays.

Villanova provided an offensive onslaught in the first period to put the game nearly out of reach early on. Coco Jones and Emily McKenzie gave the 'Cats a 2-0 lead in the first two minute of action. Five goals followed, including another from Jones with under a minute left in the period, giving Villanova a 7-0 lead through the first eight minutes.

It took Villanova until the 4:39 mark of the second to add on another goal when Morrissey scored her first of the afternoon. Just over 30 seconds later, Adrienne Grimes unloaded a chance to push the lead out to 9-0 at the break.

The 12-0 scoring run for Villanova lasted 19:43 of game play until Kaitlyn Pasillas netted back-to-back goals around the four-minute mark, cutting the deficit at 12-2. She was called for an exclusion shortly after, setting up a player-up advantage that the 'Cats capitalized on as Allie Hansen put the lead back to 11 at 13-2. Villanova closed the period on a 5-0 burst, extending the lead to 17-2 with a period to play.

Chapman picked up a scoring run of its own in the fourth, netting three in a span of nearly two minutes to make it an 18-5 game. The 'Cats closed out the contest with three goals in the final four and a half minutes, two of those from Ella Mattocks.

Villanova is back in the pool at 5:30 to close out its time in the Princeton Invitational with a rematch against Bucknell.