Oswego, NY – The Elmira College Women’s Lacrosse team overcame a three-goal deficit to tie the game multiple times but could not gain a second half advantage as it fell, 10-9, Tuesday afternoon in Oswego. With the win the Lakers improve to 8-8, while the loss drops the Soaring Eagles to 8-9.
Elmira got on the board first 6:14 in after
Marki Michaels ’13 forced a turnover and the Soaring Eagles cleared the ball.
Moorea Spoljaric ’16 netted her team-leading 34th goal of the year off a give-and-go feed from
Jessica Blinkinsop ’14. Six minutes later
Blinkinsop netted a score of her own off a free position shot to make it 2-0.
After the goal Oswego State called time out and began to pick up their play. Within 92 seconds of the Laker timeout they got on the board as Danielle Citro tallied her 13th score of the season. With 14:50 remaining Jayme McCreary found the back of the net to tie the game at 2-2. Just over a minute later after an Elmira turnover and good Laker clear attempt Mackenzie Kjerstad found the back of the net off a pass from Erannan Shattuck to make it 3-2. Two minutes later Oswego State forced a turnover and Brittany Koelmel converted a free position shot to give the Lakers a 4-2 lead.
The Purple and Gold responded as
Laura Bartus ’13 picked up the ensuing draw control and after an initial
Emma Schepers ’13 shot that was saved she was able to find
Marissa Mongillo ’15 who beat the Laker goalie to make it 4-3.
Shattuck converted a free position marker with 25 seconds left to make it 5-3 Oswego State at intermission. The Lakers held a 10-7 shots on goal edge in the opening half but five big saves from reigning Empire 8 Goalie of the Week
Mary Kate Gellerman ’13 kept EC within striking distance.
The Lakers won the opening draw control of out halftime and quickly made it count as 44 seconds in Shattuck assisted an Esther Gabriel score to make it 6-3 Lakers. The Soaring Eagles responded as
Mongillo won the draw control and 19 seconds later
Michaels scored off a pass from
Blinkinsop to make it 6-4. With 22:18 remaining
Ashton Hogan ’15 tallied a man-down goal to get EC within one. Elmira continued by scoring its third straight goal with 15:20 remaining on a
Mongillo marker to make it six all.
Less than a minute later Citro assisted Shattuck as Oswego State regained the lead. In what proved to be a seesaw battle throughout, the Soaring Eagles responded one minute later when
Hogan tallied her second goal of the half off a feed from
Michaels. With just under 10 to play Candace Tarana found the back of the net to give the Lakers an 8-7 lead. After a timely Elmira timeout the Purple and Gold controlled the ensuing draw control and possessed the ball until
Spoljaric scored to tie the game once again.
The Lakers responded with two straight goals from Kjerstad and Citro to open up a 10-8 lead with 5:40 remaining. Both teams would go cold in the scoring department until
Hogan beat the goalie on a free position shot to get within 10-9 with 41 seconds remaining. Despite the valiant comeback effort the Soaring Eagles were unable to find the equalizer.
Gellerman made seven saves for Elmira, while Lauren Marois stopped 12 shots in the win for the Lakers. EC held advantages in ground balls (37-30), shots on goal (21-17) and draw controls (12-9). This closes out the 2013 season for the Elmira College Women’s Lacrosse team.