Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/17/24
From Press Releases
Olivia Little (Springfield-Delco) scored five goals and set the school’s all-time scoring mark as the Cabrini University women’s lacrosse team mounted a successful comeback against host Ursinus College, claiming the 16-11 non-conference victory on Saturday. The Cavalie
rs trailed the Bears by as much as 4 goals, but a second-quarter push gave Cabrini momentum they’d carry for the remainder of the contest.
Cabrini improves to 4-1.
Neve Murphy (Camden Catholic-NJ) and Caroline Gallagher (Middle Township-NJ) each had three goals for the Cavaliers and Shea Neary (Archbishop Carroll) added two while Cassidy Starner (Nazareth High), Morgan McClintock (Garnet Valley), and Whitney Hershey (Hempfield) all chipped in with one.
With 3:26 remaining in the second quarter, Little’s unassisted goal tied her with Kelli Romano, each with 333 career points in a Cavalier uniform. Just 36 seconds later, Little added the helper on Murphy’s goal, giving Little sole possession of Cabrini women’s lacrosse’s all-time point record. Little collected two more goals and another assist in the second half, bringing her career point total to 337 by way of 196 goals and 141 assists.
Defensive
-A season-high six Cavaliers earned multiple caused turnovers: Gallagher led the way with 5, followed by Little with 4, Neary and Moira Ward (Penncrest) with 3 apiece, and Alyssa Kolasa and Olivia Pace (Springfield-Delco) each earning 2.
-Neary led all field players with 6 ground balls, followed by Morgan McClintock’s 4, Caroline Gallagher and Alyssa Kolasa (Camden Catholic-NJ)’s 3, and Olivia Little and Murphy’s pair.
-Abbey Fenton (Ocean City-NJ) recorded 8 saves en route to her fifth winning decision on the year.
Maeve Leonzi (Parkland) led Ursinus (3-3) with four goals while Ashley Noto (Clearview Regional-NJ) had a goal and four assists and Julia McCann (Methacton) scored twice.
Haverford 9, Christopher Newport 8
Haverford College (4-3) secured a thrilling victory at No. 15 Christopher Newport (6-2).
First-year goalkeeper Lizzie Symonds showcased exceptional skill for the Fords, making 11 crucial saves and collecting two ground balls. Her outstanding performance continuously thwarted the Captains’ offense, allowing Haverford’s offense to do just enough for the win, led by Brooke Epstein’s four goals and Tiffany Mikulis’ three. Additionally, Abby Bonner (Episcopal Academy) and Sophie Jaffe contributed goals for the Fords. Lizzie Healy (Strath Haven) and Eva Baumann each also scooped two ground balls, while Kylie McNamara (Lenape-NJ) matched Mikulis with four draw controls.
Although Christopher Newport held the advantage in ground balls and clears, Haverford maintained a 14-7 advantage on the draws, which proved instrumental in setting the tone of the game.
The Fords, receiving votes in the latest IWLCA poll, took an early lead after the opening draw, with Brooke Epstein finding the back of the net in the first minute following a key save by Lizzie Symonds. Christopher Newport responded with two consecutive goals, but Haverford equalized with a Tiffany Mikulis free-position goal with 4:09 left in the first quarter.
Mikulis’ goal sparked a 4-0 run for the Fords, with Sophie Jaffe, Epstein, and Bonner all lighting up the scoreboard, giving Haverford a 5-2 lead. Christopher Newport narrowed the gap with two goals, making it a one-goal game. However, Mikulis extended Haverford’s lead to 6-4 with 5:25 remaining in the first half.
The teams entered halftime with the visitors clinging to a narrow one-goal lead. In a defensive third quarter, Mikulis scored again to give Haverford a 7-5 advantage. Despite a goal from CNU’s Sloane McDonald, Epstein’s unassisted goal maintained Haverford’s lead at 8-6 heading into the final quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Symonds made crucial saves to deny Christopher Newport’s scoring opportunities. A turnover caused by Eva Baumann led to instant offense for the Fords, as Epstein’s unassisted strike extended their lead to 8-7. Haverford’s defense, led by Baumann and Lizzie Healy, maintained extremely tight pressure, and Symonds denied another free-position shot with 2:58 remaining.
However, Christopher Newport managed to score a goal from a free-position with 1:13 left, narrowing the gap to one goal in the waning moments. The ensuing draw was critical, and although Christopher Newport won possession, Haverford regained the ball after an offensive foul. A turnover with four seconds left gave Christopher Newport one last chance with just four seconds left. Nevertheless, Haverford’s defense stood strong, denying the Captains a shot and securing the Fords’ first ranked win since defeating No. 22 Christopher Newport on March 9, 2022.
