MERCYHURST DOUBLES UP ON BLUE HOSE, 16-8, IN WOMEN’S LACROSSE ACTION
CLINTON, S.C. – An 11-2 outing by the Mercyhurst College women’s lacrosse team in the first half proved to be all that was necessary as the Lakers defeated Presbyterian College, 16-8, on Sunday afternoon in Old Bailey Stadium. The Blue Hose fall to 0-6 on the year, while Mercyhurst improves to 1-1 overall.
PC’s sophomore tri-captain Anna Pepper Vaux (Bluffton, S.C.) started off the scoring with an unassisted goal at 25:59. The Lakers’ freshman attacker Jessie Horeth (Webster, N.Y.) had a hat trick and senior attacker Kelsey French (Corning, N.Y.) added two in a 7-0 run that gave MC a 7-1 lead at 20:40. The Lakers outscored the Blue Hose 4-2 in the remainder of the first half for an 11-2 MC first half lead.
The Blue Hose came out firing at the start of the second half as PC strung together four unanswered goals, including a pair from freshman midfielder Trista Sturdivant (Street, Md.), to pull within five (11-6) at 15:03. But that was as close as the Blue Hose would get as Mercyhurst finished the game with a 5-2 spurt.
Sturdivant led PC with a hat trick and a game-high four draw controls, while freshman midfielder Berkley Aiken (Charlotte, N.C.) who is a newcomer to the game added a pair. Freshman defender Alyson Whitley (Kennesaw, Ga.) scooped up four ground balls and caused two turnovers.
Freshman attacker Breanna Haggerty (Skaneateles, N.Y.) paced the Lakers with six points on three goals and three assists while Horeth and French each finished with five points. Horeth notched four goals and an assist and French had two goals and three assists. Sophomore midfielder Courtney Olevnik (Wooster, Ohio) dished out a game-high four assists. Defensively, freshman attacker Kristen Toomey (East Rochester, N.Y.) caused three turnovers and freshman defender Beth O’Neil (Syracuse, N.Y.) had four ground balls.
In goal, PC’s freshman Kira Stringer (Marietta, Ga.) made four stops in 30 minutes of play and allowed 11 goals, while junior Ashley Baker (Lancaster, S.C.) had five saves in the second half and yielded five goals. Freshman Megan Foley (Garden City, N.Y.) recorded two saves and two goals against in 23:52, while freshman Stephanie Obsitnik (Zionsville, Ind.) gave up six goals and picked up five stops in the final 36:08.
The Blue Hose return to action next Saturday, March 4, when PC travels to Misenheimer, N.C., to play No. 1 Anne Arundel Community College at a field on Pfeiffer University’s campus at 2:00. Mercyhurst will take on No. 6 Limestone College on Tuesday at 3:30 in Gaffney, S.C.