FARMVILLE, Va. – Riley McDonald was a force of nature for Longwood lacrosse on Wednesday night.
 
Unfortunately for the Lancers, her heroics came up just short in a back-and-forth tilt, as Furman squeezed past Longwood 17-16 on a last second strike by Hannah Dintino.
 
Dintino, who is Furman's (7-8, 5-1 Big South) all-time career goals leader, put home her fifth goal of the game off a pass from Sophie Shaw with 9.5 seconds to play to break a 16-16 tie.
 
McDonald had just equalized moments before on a free position to cap a career day, ripping home a free position for her career best seventh goal on a day where she posted a career high 10 points.
 
TOP LWU PERFORMERS:
Riley McDonald: 7G, 3A, 1GB, 1CT, 1DC, 5-5 FPS
Julia Koenig: 8DC
Kendra DeFilippo: 3G
Cybella Smith: 15 SV, 17 GA, 0.469 SV%
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
The game was a fitting contest for two teams tied for second in the Big South coming into the game. Neither side led by more than three, and both sides came up clutch in major moments.
 
Most of those moments for Longwood involved McDonald, as she was almost unstoppable on offense. She was menace to the defense almost every time she touched it. In the process, she tallied her 100^th goal of her Lancer career to go with her 50^th goal of the season.
 
Cybella Smith came up big in goal as well for Longwood, as the freshman had a career best 15 saves.
 
However, Dintono, Shaw and Reynolds Hester had big-time answers for Furman. Dintino set a season-high with five goals, and Shaw powered home a career high nine points on five goals and four assists. Meanwhile, Hester doubled her goal total on the season with four strikes in the game.
 
Furman struck first, but Longwood answered behind McDonald. She scored back-to-back free positions in the first quarter, and the Lancers responded to take a three-goal lead, 5-2, through 15 minutes.
 
In the second quarter, Furman rallied behind Shaw, Hester and Dintino with a 6-2 run. Shaw found Paige Harman cutting to the goal for an 8-7 lead.
 
However, Longwood answered. Kendra DeFilippo scored on back-to-back strikes from Emily Cate Smith feeds to give the Lancers the lead again. Claire Libby capped the half with a goal for a 10-8 lead.
 
Furman's defense turned ferocious in the third quarter. The Paladins scored five straight goals to take a 13-10 lead, and the defense forced four turnovers in that stretch.
 
Holly Hill slipped home a tight angle shot off a McDonald pass, and McDonald then trimmed the lead to one heading into the fourth quarter.
 
The two sides traded goals in the fourth as the game was within two goals for the final 15 minutes. After Shaw gave Furman a 16-14 lead, Libby trimmed it to one less than a minute later.
 
Nobody scored for the next six minutes until McDonald evened the game at 16-16 on a free position.
 
However, the Furman defense forced a turnover. In the scramble in midfield, McDonald checked the ball out of a Furman stick, but a slip allowed the Paladins to retrieve the orb. Shaw drove and found Dintino cutting at the top of the eight for the game-deciding finish.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Lancers have a bye this weekend before heading back out on the road. Longwood travels to High Point on Wednesday, April 24. Opening draw is set for 5 p.m. at Vert Stadium.
 
#GoWood #HorsePower