March 23, 2010

Final Stats

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Despite four goals from senior Molly Lapolla and a string of five Aggie unanswered scores, UC Davis was unable to overcome Lehigh's fast start, falling in an 11-9 non-conference women's collegiate lacrosse game at the Ulrich Sports Complex Tuesday afternoon.

The Aggies slip to 6-2 for the season. The Mountain Hawks remain undefeated at 8-0 for their best start in school history.

Lapolla had three goals in UC Davis' 5-0 run midway through the contest, then added a fourth with 6:15 remaining. Molly Peterson, Gina Hoffmire, Britt Farquharson, Elizabeth Datino and Vannessa Jamison each added one goal for the Aggies, while goalkeeper Alyssa Cranska registered a season-best 11 saves. Sophomore Laura Sunday and freshman Stephanie Guercio each tallied five ground balls in the game.

Sophomore Kelly Draper and junior Lauren Dykstra each converted hat tricks to lead Lehigh. Allison Thomas added two goals with an assist and four draw controls.

UC Davis struck first in the contest, as a Laura Martin steal set up Hoffmire's goal just 2:26 in. However, the Hawks netted three goals within the next three minutes of play as part of a run of seven straight. Draper's eight-meter shot at the 15:30 mark put Lehigh up by a 7-1 advantage.

Lapolla scored on a second-effort opportunity with 12:57 remaining in the first period to end the Mountain Hawk run. Cranska posted two saves and Sunday notched a steal against Dykstra to hold Lehigh in check offensively, then Lapolla converted an eight-meter shot with 3:27 left to bring the score to 7-3. Datino put her lone goal at the first-half buzzer to cut the lead to three, and Lapolla and Farquharson added quick scores after the break to trim the Hawks' lead to 7-6.

Thomas won the ensuing draw and advanced to the UC Davis cage, ending the Lehigh scoring drought and bumping the lead back to 8-6, but Jamison delivered her first collegiate goal to once again reduce the Aggie deficit to a single goal. However, UC Davis approached no closer after as Draper's goal in the 41st minute and Kelly's score with 13:46 left pushed Lehigh back up to a 10-7 edge.

The Aggies shot just 2-for-7 in the last 10 minutes as the Mountain Hawks held on to the victory.

UC Davis completes its trip to the Keystone State with a game at Saint Francis on Thursday.

GOALS - UC Davis: Molly Lapolla 4, Molly Peterson 1, Gina Hoffmire 1, Britt Farquharson 1, Vannessa Jamison 1, Elizabeth Datino 1. LU: Kelly Draper 3, Lauren Dykstra 3, Allison Thomas 2, Kindall Healy 1, Lauren Murray 1, Megan Kelly 1.

ASSISTS - UC Davis: none. LU: Kindall Healy 2, Kelly Draper 1, Lauren Murray 1, Anna Patterson 1, Allison Thomas 1.

GOALIES - UC Davis: Alyssa Cranska 11 saves, 11 goals against (60:00). LU: MaryLeah DiNisco 9 saves, 9 goals against (60:00).