Late Surge Lifts Utica over Clarkson: Hartwick Falls in Season Opener

Late Surge Lifts Utica over Clarkson: Hartwick Falls in Season Opener

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UTICA 12, Clarkson 10
The Utica College women's lacrosse team used eight second half goals to down visiting Clarkson University 12-10 in non-conference action Wednesday afternoon. 
 
Senior Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) led the way for UC with six points (five goals, one assist), and she also collected a game-high nine ground balls and six draw controls.  Sophomore Rebecca Plunkett (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) chipped in with three goals and six draw controls of her own.  Clarkson was led by Paige Fayette, who had two goals and three assists to go along with her team-best seven shots. 
 
Utica faced a 6-4 deficit headed into the second half, however Plunkett won the opening draw and ran down the field untested to cut the Clarkson lead to one, just 15 seconds into the second frame.  Just over one minute later, Megan Kane (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville) evened the score as she notched an unassisted goal.  The teams traded tallies over the next 20 minutes before Utica was able to make a later charge. 
 
Plunkett's third goal of the afternoon with 5:16 remaining gave Utica its first lead since early in the first half.  Junior Courtney Wheeler (Ava, NY/Rome Free Academy) extended the Pioneer lead at 1:47 as she netted her second of the day, and senior Morgan DuPont (Wynantskill, NY/Averill Park) scored on a free position just 28 seconds later to all but seal the victory.  Xiomara Rodriguez (Bay Shore, NY/Brentwood) also scored for Utica and junior Kells Casey (Sandwich, MA/Kimball Union Academy) made seven saves in her first collegiate start to earn the win. 
 
Clarkson's Danielle Tani had 11 saves in the loss.  Utica caused 15 turnovers and scooped up a game-high 27 ground balls, while scoring on 5-of-11 free positions.
 


Skidmore 12, HARTWICK 3
Hartwick and Skidmore were locked in a 3-3 tie 24 minutes into the first half but a four-goal rally to close the period and five goals in the second half gave the Thoroughbreds a 12-3 win Wednesday at the Adirondack Sports Complex in Queensbury.
           
The game marked the season opener for the Hawks. Skidmore improves to 2-0 on the season.
           
The Hawks received two goals from sophomore attack Lauren Rosenberg (Smithtown, NY/Commack). Sophomore Courtney Coons (Wilton, NY/South Glens Falls) also tallied.
           
After nearly seven minutes of scoreless play in the first half, a Thoroughbred tally triggered a three-goal run in a 1:44 span and Skidmore took a 3-0 advantage.
           
One minute, seven seconds after Skidmore's third goal, Rosenberg got the Hawks on the scoreboard with an unassisted score at 20:14. Forty ticks later, Rosenberg scored again, this time off a feed from senior Emily Jweid(Marcy, NY/Whitesboro), and 'Wick was within one, 3-2.
           
Coons' tally at 18:26 drew the Hawks even and the game remained 3-3 for the next 12 minutes. The Thoroughbreds would fire six shots on the Hartwick cage in the span by goalkeeper Steph Luce (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) stopped four of them, including two free-position shots, to keep the game even.
           
The Thoroughbreds finally broke through with 6:12 left in the half. They added three more goals in the final 2:05, including their seventh with just one second left to take a 7-3 lead into halftime.
           
Skidmore began to open the game up early in the second half with four goals in the first nine minutes. Hartwick would register eight shots in the final 20 minutes but couldn't get another one past Skidmore keeper Megan Kolopsky. The Thoroughbreds closed out the day's scoring with 2:30 remaining in the contest.
           
Skidmore grabbed 33 ground balls in the game to Hartwick's 20. The Thoroughbreds held a narrow margin in draw controls, 9-7.
           
Luce registered a team-high five ground balls for Hartwick. Caroline Stanford (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles)added four and she caused a team-best three Skidmore turnovers. Luce, Coons, and Meagan Wright (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) chipped in with two caused turnovers apiece. Jweid grabbed a team-high three draws.
           
Skidmore was led by Tyler Phillips' five goals. Brittney Dioneda and Emma Harris each tallied twice.
           
Luce made 12 saves in the opening 52 minutes for the Hawks in goal. April Hargy (Edgartown, MA/Martha's Vineyard) played the final eight minutes in cage. Kolopsky stopped six shots for Skidmore.