No 5 Mercyhurst 11, No. 2 Lock Haven 10
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ERIE, Pa. – The fifth-ranked Mercyhurst women’s lacrosse team used a four-goal rally in the second half to take an 11-8 lead, and held off a late charge for an 11-10 victory over No. 2 Lock Haven Saturday, April 24 at Tullio Field. The Lakers earned a split of the season series with Lock Haven and a tie for first place in the PSAC West. Mercyhurst will host Gannon Tuesday, April 27 at 4 p.m. in the first round of the PSAC Tournament.
Sophomore
Ally Keirn broke Breanna Haggerty’s single-season points record, as Keirn now has scored 100 points on 44 goals and 56 assists this season. Keirn scored three goals in a row as part of the Lakers’ four-goal run to turn an 8-7 deficit into an 11-8 lead. She also added two assists on the afternoon.
The Lakers celebrated senior day by boosting their program-best season record to 16-1, 9-1 in PSAC West play. Lock Haven suffered its first loss of the season and is now 14-1, 9-1 in divisional contests. The Lady Eagles earn the No. 1 seed in the PSAC West for the postseason tournament by virtue of goal differential.
Senior
Kristie Jennings added four points on one goal and three assists, while junior
Kimberly Masterton added two goal and one assist, including the game-winner. Senior
Maeve McGoff made nine saves in the victory.
Mercyhurst got on the board first when sophomore
Jessica Lincoln connected off a pass from Jennings at the 26:21 mark. Lock Haven countered though as Leigh Titus netted her first of the game just 21 seconds later.
Masterton then struck with her first to give the Lakers the lead again, but back-to-back markers from Kayleigh Johnson swung the score in favor of the Lady Eagles at 3-2 with 24:16 to play.
Leonhard wiped out Johnson’s effort with consecutive goals of her own, scoring at 22:55 and 21:53, before LHUP evened the slate again at four all on a strike by Emily Cilia.
Both teams exchanged scores from that point, with junior
Elizabeth Tice and Jennings contributing goals sandwiched around ones from Titus and Allison Berger to end the half in a 6-6 tie
The Lakers cracked the scoring again to open the second half with Leonhard burying an unassisted goal at the 26:01 mark. But just as the first half played out, Lock Haven answered back as Berger tied the game at 7-7, while Elyse Fisher gave the Lady Eagles the lead at 24:13.
Mercyhurst, however, shook off the scores and built some momentum, taking an 11-8 lead on three-straight from Keirn and a tally from Masterton.
Lock Haven pulled within two as Johnson and Berger found the back of the net before MC put the game out reach by holding the ball in the LHUP zone for the remainder of the game.