NIAGARA UNIV, N.Y. (March 12, 2009) – Freshman Chelsea Kent (Winter Springs, Fla./Winter Springs) scored five goals in her collegiate debut, but the Saint Francis Lacrosse team fell one short as they fell to Niagara University 12-11 in their season opener on Thursday in New York.
The Red Flash will return to Loretto for their home opener against future Northeast Conference member Bryant University on Saturday at 1 p.m. at DeGol Field.
Niagara scored the first three goals of the game before Meghan Crosby (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) caused a crucial turnover. After the Purple Eagles' Whitney Gill made a save on Brittany Kovacs (Oshawa, Ontario/R.S. McLaughlin CVI), Kent sent the ball over to Crosby, who sent it past Gill for the Red Flash's first goal of the season.
The Purple Eagles scored again to make the score 4-1. Less than 15 seconds later, Katie Jenkins (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) won the draw and Kent got her first goal of the season to make it 4-2.
Rianne Farrugia scored one more for the Purple Eagles. Kate Simmons (Delran, N.J./Delran) then picked up a ground ball for the Flash and Kovacs was able to put one past Gill for her first career goal.
Exactly one minute later, Kent sent to ball over to Sheri Fort (Sicklerville, N.J./Washington Township), who was able to net her first goal of the season. Danielle Pokusa (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) made two saves before Kovacs picked up a ground ball and Kent put her second goal of the season past Gill with five minutes left to play in the half. Niagara was able to get two more goals before the end of the half to take a 7-5 lead.
Fort won the draw to start the second half. Kent sent the ball over to Meg Lamarche (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas), who scored her first goal of the season just 17 seconds in.
Emily French scored for the Purple Eagles, but the Red Flash battled back with a goal by Simmons a little over a minute later. The tally was the first of her career.
Niagara scored twice to go ahead 10-7 before Kent cut the deficit to two with her third goal of the afternoon on a pass from Fort. However, it would go back to three when Alison Valerio scored for the Purple Eagles with 13:21 left to play.
Kent netted her fourth of the game two minutes later, and Simmons knocked in another soon after to put SFU within one.
The Purple Eagles scored once more with 3:56 left to play, and Kent struck back with her fifth tally of the game less than a minute later to settle the score at 12-11 in favor of Niagara.
Pokusa at 12 saves for the Red Flash, and Gill stopped 15 for the Purple Eagles.
Saint Francis grabbed 22 ground balls to Niagara's 16. They also out shot the Purple Eagles 32-30.
