EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. – The No. 11 ranked East Stroudsburg University women's lacrosse team were edged by top-ranked West Chester University in a 13-11 final on Wednesday afternoon at Whitenight Field.
The Golden Rams started the game on a 4-0 run, capped off by a goal from freshman Audrey Miller (Sinking Spring, Pa.) at the 5:47 mark of the opening quarter, with the assist going to senior Keri Barnett (Glenolden, Pa.). The Warriors closed the frame with two consecutive markers, one from junior Laura Hallman with 4:35 remaining and then Hallman set up senior
Campbell Heller (Lancaster, Pa.) with 3:36 to play to make the score 4-2 at the end of the first frame.
East Stroudsburg netted the first two goals of the second quarter, the first by freshman
Sadie Kauffman followed by a man-up goal for senior
Sophia Graffeo with Hallman getting the helper. West Chester deposited back-to-back goals to push the margin back up to two, 6-4. The teams traded goals in the final five minutes. Kauffman found the back of the net again with 5:02 left and then Barnett answered with a goal with 13 seconds to play in the half to give the Golden Rams the 7-5 lead at the break.
West Chester started the scoring in the third quarter with a man-up goal by Barnett, but the Warriors came back with a marker by sophomore
Ariana Tucci, assisted by Kauffman. The Golden Rams outscored East Stroudsburg, 2-1, over the remainder of the frame to carry a 10-7 lead into the final quarter.
The teams traded the first six goals of the final quarter and then junior
Hannah Schiemer put one home for the Warriors with four seconds remaining in regulation for the 13-11 final.
Freshman Morgan Koons (Mountain Top, Pa.) secured the win in goal for West Chester. Senior
Abby Simonetti made 15 saves for East Stroudsburg in the loss.
Hallman and Kauffman led the way for the Warriors with five points apiece.
Barnett tallied a game-high nine points on six goals and three assists for the Golden Rams.
East Stroudsburg (7-4 overall, 4-2 PSAC East) will host Shepherd University for its next game on Saturday, April 5 at noon, marking Senior Day.
Story by Chris McKeon
