April 24, 2006

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va. --  The Longwood University women’s lacrosse team closed out its 2006 season with a heartbreaking 13-10 loss to visiting American, members of the Patriot League, this afternoon at the new Athletics Complex in Farmville. The Lancers, who were playing their third game in four days, finishes the season with a 6-10 overall record, while the Eagles improved their record to 6-10. LU was led by junior midfielder Cathleen Strain/Alexandria (Mount Vernon) and sophomore attacker Joyce Haines/Prince Frederick, Md. (Calvert) who both scored three goals a piece.

Longwood jumped out on top early, rattling off four quick goals in the first eight minutes. Senior midfielder Ali Shafer/Fairfax (Fairfax) started things off with a goal at the 27:46 mark. Strain followed with an unassisted goal at 25:59, while Haines pushed the Lancers lead to 3-0 at the 24:32 mark on a goal assisted by Strain. Strain closed out the four-goal stretch with a free position shot at 22:49. 

American cut the lead to 4-1 when Jackie Lane scored her first of four goals on the day 12 minutes into the first stanza. The Eagles then sliced the Lancers advantage to 5-4 after tallying three-straight goals; two by Lane and one by Moriah Linnell.

Back-to-back goals by Strain and Haines gave Longwood some breathing room at 7-4, but American responded with three goals over the final three minutes to tie the game at halftime; including its final goal with three seconds left on the clock before intermission. Leslie Fisher scored on a free position shot, while both Lane and Chelsea Kapp tallied unassisted goals.

Longwood broke the tie only 11 seconds into the second stanza when senior midfielder Emily Bikowski/Fairfax (Bishop O’Connell) scored on a pass from Shafer.

American responded with three-straight goals to gain its first lead of the game at 10-8. Linnell, Lauren Lane and Kira Sonberg all scored for the Eagles.

The Lancers were able to cut the Eagles lead to one when Shafer scored on a pass from freshman midfielder Ann Rae Keel/Westminster, Md. (Westminster), but American’s offense was on fire as it responded again with three-straight goals to put the game out of Longwood’s reach.

American held a slight 31-29 advantage in shots and held a 22-17 edge in ground balls. Senior goalkeeper Emily Wilson/Owings, Md. (Northern) closed out her Lancer career making 11 saves; her seven double-digit save performance of the season.