LHU Uses Second Half Defense to Overcome Women's Lacrosse

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Frostburg State Women's Lacrosse team fell 9-7 on the road to Lock Haven on Saturday afternoon.
 
FSU won the opening draw through sophomore Kelly Johnson, but a turnover forced senior Grace Dickey into an early save. LHU kept the pressure up, firing a pair of shots wide before opening the scoring three minutes in on a Nadia Baskot goal. Both teams traded turnovers in their next few possessions, with the Bobcats putting up the next pair of attacks from junior Neila Haney and sophomore Gianna Leonardi drawing saves from Bald Eagle keeper Gretchen King. After gaining the clear, Lock Haven scored through Makayla Kelly followed just over a minute later by Gabby Gunnip for a 3-0 lead. Frostburg got on the board with two minutes to go until the break, as Haney worked her way in for a solo goal and a 3-1 score.
 
LHU got the draw to start the second period, but junior Sydney Stone caused a turnover to prevent a shot getting off. Within a minute, Haney put a pair of shots past King on assists from senior Natalie Williams and graduate Camden DeMaio to tie the game 3-3. After the Eagles once again took the draw, senior Kerri Hayes came up with a CT, then was found by Williams to put Frostburg ahead 4-3. Each team struggled to keep possession of the ball for the next six minutes, combining for eight turnovers, three of them caused for the Bobcats between DeMaio and juniors Daniella Boss and Jessie Bare. A minute after FSU was shown a yellow card for a foul, Lock Haven took advantage, with Gunnip putting home her second of the game. Senior Julia Badolato tried to put FSU ahead at the break, but her free position effort was stopped by King, as the half ended 4-4.
 
In similar fashion to how the game started, Frostburg got the draw coming out of the half but a turnover allowed Gunnip to complete her hat trick and give the hosts a 5-4 advantage. The Eagles' defense clamped down for much of the quarter, as King stopped another Leonardi effort, while at the other end Kelly doubled the lead off a free position. Three minutes later, another King save resulted in Kaitlyn Collins getting on the score sheet, as Williams was denied twice by King to end the third with LHU up 7-4.
 
Four minutes into the final frame, Kelly netted once more to take a four-goal advantage before Haney attempted to pull her team back with a solo effort midway through the period. Frostburg again was punished for a yellow card offence, as Gunnip put in her fourth of the game for a 9-5 lead. DeMaio saw a free position effort saved, with Dickey standing tall in net for a pair of stops, while Bare caused a turnover and picked up the groundball, leading to another Haney goal off a feed from junior Emily Lamoreaux to get within three. As time was winding down to the final two minutes, Lock Haven was able to hold on to the ball until the final minute, where Stone picked up another CT that led to Lamoreaux finding Boss for a 9-7 score. With just 18 seconds left, one final turnover off an FSU draw gave LHU the two-goal victory.
 
Haney led the Bobcat offense with five goals, as Lamoreaux and Williams each dished out a pair of assists. Bare and Stone helped the defensive effort with three caused turnovers and groundballs apiece.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 3-5 on the year, while Lock Haven improves to 3-3. FSU wraps up their four-game road trip with a visit to Wilmington (DE) on Tuesday, March 18 at 3 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.