April 13, 2006
Final Stats
MOON TOWNSHIP, PA (April 13, 2006) - The Sacred Heart women's lacrosse team led 9-3 through 36 minutes of action but fought off a second half charge by Robert Morris to come away with an 11-8 win over the Colonials in Northeast Conference action Thursday afternoon. The Pioneers improve to 4-1 in the NEC and 4-9 overall with the win.
The Pioneers got on top early, using goals by Heather Gureckis (Nashua, NH) and Brianna Bubeck (Bethlehem, NY) to open a 2-0 lead after eight minutes of action. RMU's Meredith Milsak got the Colonials on the board at the 10:27 mark but SHU responded with a three-goal spurt over the next six minutes to grab control.
Freshmen Mary Montesarchio (Cortlandt Manor, NY) and Amanda Williams (Monroe, CT) and Gureckis fueled the run with three unassisted markers. Jennifer Collins ended the run with an unassisted goal of her own at 22:33, but the two teams traded goals the rest of the half to send the Pioneers into the break up 7-3.
SHU kept it rolling to start the second half as senior Emily Tully (South Windsor, CT) and Bubeck found the back of the net to give SHU its biggest lead, 9-3, at 35:49. From there, the Robert Morris offense caught fire and the Colonials outscored SHU 5-1 over the next 18 minutes to pull within 10-8.
Collins and Jennifer Howley scored back-to-back Colonial goals at 37:54 and 42:54. SHU's Gureckis gave the Pioneers a brief lift with a marker at 48:54, unassisted, but Robert Morris quickly ran off three-straight to make it a game down the stretch.
Howley scored a free-position goal at 52:14 and Collins followed just 15 seconds later off a feed from Ashley Levering. Howley finished the run off at 53:29, scoring another free-position goal to pull her team to within two, 10-8.
The Pioneers took the ensuing draw and after a save on a Gureckis shot; Williams beat Kate Dunlap to push the lead back to three, 11-8, with just 2:48 left on the clock. SHU once again took the draw, as Montesarchio gained control and the Pioneers were able to run out the clock for the victory.
Sacred Heart's Gureckis and Williams each scored three times while Bubeck netted two and added an assist to her scoring column. Gureckis also came away with five grounders, three draw wins and a caused turnover.
Robert Morris (2-12, 1-5 NEC) got three goals apiece from Collins and Howley.
The Pioneers continue their Pennsylvania road trip Saturday afternoon when they take on St. Francis-PA at 12 noon.
