Last-Minute Goal Sends Lock Haven Past Women's Lacrosse

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Women's Lacrosse team lost a close contest 12-11 at home to Lock Haven on Friday afternoon.
 
FSU began the game with graduate Maura O'Neill winning the opening draw control, eventually setting up junior Kerri Hayes for a solo goal just over a minute in. LHU responded by winning the next two draws, both leading to scores as the visitors went up 2-1. The back-and-forth action continued with O'Neill and graduate Lilly Stephens both scoring on free positions either side of a sophomore Neila Haney score to move the Bobcats ahead 4-2. Once again, the Bald Eagles responded quickly, scoring twice in 30 seconds to tie the game at 4-4 midway through the period. Over the next three minutes, each defense stepped up, forcing turnovers to shut down the opposing offense until a yellow card on Lock Haven led to junior Emily Lamoreaux feeding Haney for a man-up goal. At the other end, LHU ended the quarter with another individual goal, tying the game at 5-5 going to the second.
 
Stephens started the next frame with a goal in the first minute, but shortly after the Bald Eagles hit back with a man-up free position goal for another tie. Both teams received a yellow card in the next three minutes, as O'Neill stepped up with a caused turnover with FSU down a player, then on a counter senior Camden DeMaio sliced a pass through to junior Julia Badolato to find the back of the net for a 7-6 advantage. After senior Whitney Crosby made back-to-back saves in net, senior Anna Kearney added her name to the score sheet with a free position goal to move ahead 8-6. As they had done all game, Lock Haven didn't let things get away from them, scoring twice in the span of 90 seconds to even things once more 8-8. As Haney nabbed another draw control, Kearney moved swiftly to work the ball over to Badolato, scoring again to give the Bobcats a 9-8 lead at the half.
 
After a goalie switch just before halftime, junior Nicole Gray stepped in to grab a pair of stops over the first three minutes of the third period, keeping Frostburg in the lead. FSU was denied twice as well, but got their rewards after a Bald Eagle card put them down a player, with Haney again scoring on a Lamoreaux pass to go up 10-8. With both defenses causing multiple turnovers in the last six minutes, LHU got an important goal to pull within one, then killed off a penalty to head to the fourth at 10-9.
 
The Bobcats couldn't find the target with their first two shots of the final period, but Gray kept Lock Haven out at the other end, allowing O'Neill to maneuver her way through the defense and fire past the keeper for an 11-9 lead. Keeping within striking distance, the Bald Eagles pulled one back with just under eight to go in the game. Despite Gray making another pair of saves, three straight FSU turnovers gave Lock Haven the chance to tie, which they eventually took with just over two minutes left on the clock. Another Frostburg miscue on offense gave the ball back to LHU, where they scored with just 30 seconds to go for a 12-11 lead. The Bobcats were given a late chance to tie and send the game to overtime after a yellow card on the Eagles, but DeMaio had a shot blocked and Haney wasn't able to get a clean effort away in the scramble, as time expired with the visitors coming away victorious.
 
Haney led FSU with three goals on the day to go with four draw controls, while Stephens, O'Neill, and Badolato all contributed multiple scores. O'Neill also led the defensive effort with four caused turnovers and three groundballs, while Gray and Crosby combined for 11 saves in net, the latter making the 100^th of her career during the game.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 4-3 on the year, while Lock Haven remains unbeaten at 5-0. The Bobcats will head South for their Spring break trip, as they next travel to Flagler on Tuesday, March 19 at 5 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.