2.18.2012

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Longwood University women's lacrosse team lost its first game of the 2012 season 20-4 at Navy in Annapolis, Maryland Saturday afternoon. Junior Jamie Brentlinger|Gambrills, Md. (Arundel) led the Lancers (0-1) with one goal and one assist against the Mids (2-1). LU is back in action for its home-opener next Friday, February 24 at 4 p.m. to host Louisville of the Big East Conference at the Athletics Complex in Farmville.

“This was a start for us,” said interim head coach Wendy Stone. “We knew opening the season against Navy was going to be a tough test for us as they are a very talented and experienced team.”

In the first period, Longwood kept it close in shots, trailing Navy just 15 to 16, but the Mids held the Lancers to three shots in the second half while bombarding the LU defense with 23 shots. In scoring, Navy struck first at 29:32, but Longwood responded just three minutes later off a free-position goal by senior Jessica Rudloff|West Chester, Pa. (West Chester) at 26:23 for the 1-1 tie.

After that, Navy ran away with four goals before the Lancers could find the back of the net at 13:22 remaining via freshman Kacey Norwood's|Chantilly (Chantilly) goal from Brentlinger's dish. Norwood collected a team-high three draw controls and took a team-high five shots with four on goal. At 2:45, Brentlinger tallied her goal, following another three-goal run by the Middies, which closed out the first half with 8-3 on the scoreboard.

Sophomore Mary Barondess|Centreville, Va. (Westfield) scored the final goal of the game off an assist from classmate Lauren Prasnicki|Lexington (Rockbridge) with just 24-seconds to play but not before Navy scored 12-straight goals in the half, resulting in the final 20-4 result.

Junior transfer Mollie Zimmerman|Fairpoint, N.Y. (Monroe CC|Catawba College) played 51:56 in goal for Longwood, making 10 saves and collecting a team-high four ground balls, while freshman Christian Acker|Moorestown, N.J. (Moorestown) played the final 8:04 and made one save. Elaina Ponchione was the first of three goalies in for Navy, earning the win after allowing three goals and making five saves. Freshman Jess Fellows led Navy with a game-high seven points off six goals and one assist, three coming from free-position attempts.

 “Though the outcome was not what we wanted, we made progress on the field today,” added Stone. “Our defense faced a relentless attack from Navy and did not back down. We will learn from this as we move on to face Louisville on Friday.”