LORETTO, Pa. (March 14, 2009) – Despite getting goals two goals apiece from four players, the Saint Francis women's lacrosse team couldn't keep up with future Northeast Conference member Bryant and fell to the Bulldogs 20-10 in their home opener at DeGol Field in Loretto on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Flash, who are 0-2 on the season, will host Howard at DeGol Field on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Bryant put five points on the board in the first 10 minutes of play before turning it over. Pariss Townsend-Griffin (Silver Spring, Md./Elizabeth Seton) sent it over to Brittany Kovacs (Oshawa, Ontario/R.S. McLaughlin CVI), who sent it past Bulldog goalkeeper Jessica Bolton to put the Red Flash on the board eight minutes into the first half.
The Bulldogs came back to net another one. Kate Simmons (Delran, N.J./Delran) won the ensuing face off after Bryant's sixth goal. The ball then made its way over to freshman Chelsea Kent (Winter Springs, Fla./Winter Springs), who netted her sixth goal of the season with 19:12 left to play in the first.
Danielle Pokusa (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) made four stops in just to two minutes for the Red Flash, but the Bulldogs put another two more past her to take a 7-2 lead halfway through the first half. Simmons came away with another crucial face off. Catherine Helming (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) took a shot that was stopped by Bolton, but Meghan Crosby (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) found the back of the net to cut the deficit to five.
The Bulldogs' lead stretched to eight before Meg Lamarche (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) sent the ball over to Kent, who tallied her second goal of the day to make it 11-4 in favor of Bryant.
Four more of the Bulldogs' shots found the back of the net. Townsend-Griffin then made another great pass to Kovacs, who netted another for the Red Flash to put the score at 16-5 at half time.
Bryant scored three times in the first six minutes action. Pokusa made a big stop on the Bulldogs' Delia Glover before Lamarche found an open Crosby, who sent in her second of the day.
Sheri Fort (Sickerville, N.J./Washington Township) and Kovacs each grabbed a ground ball for the Red Flash. Lamarche then launched a pass over to Helming, who sent it past Bulldog goalkeeper Lauren Filippone to put the score at 19-7.
Corrine Smeak forced a turnover by Bryant's Nikole Such, and Simmons scooped up a ground ball for the Flash. Filippone stopped shots by Lamarche and Kovacs, but Simmons was able to put one past her to make it 19-8 with 12:45 left to play.
Simmons won the ensuing face off and then had a draw control soon after. Katie Dacanay (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) caused another turnover, and the ball made its way over to Tonwsend-Griffin, who sent it to Katie Jenkins (Rochester, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy). Jenkins then tallied the Flash's ninth goal of the day.
Another face off win by Simmons gave the Red Flash the ball, and a draw control by Lamarche kept it. Filippone made two great stops on Crosby and Fort before Jenkins caused a turnover and grabbed the ground ball. Kent then passed it to Simmons, who netted one for Saint Francis with 6:48 remaining.
Bryant netted one more to settle the score a 20-10 in favor of the Bulldogs. Kent, Simmons, Kovacs and Crosby each had two for the Red Flash, while Glover led the Bulldogs with five. Townsend-Griffin and Lamarche each had three assists.
The Bulldogs out shot the Red Flash 39-26, and Pokusa stopped 12 of those shots. Both teams had nine ground balls. The Flash were 15-of-32 on face offs and 2-of-3 on clears.
