BROOKLYN, N.Y. (April 3, 2009) – Pariss Griffin-Townsend (Silver Spring, Md./Elizabeth Seton) and Kate Simmons (Delran, N.J./Delran) each tallied three goals, but the Saint Francis women's lacrosse team dropped a 20-10 decision to Long Island on Friday afternoon in Brooklyn.
The Northeast Conference match up was the first of two for the Red Flash, who will travel to Sacred Heart for a Sunday contest with the Pioneers.
Red Flash goalkeeper Danielle Pokusa (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) had one of her best efforts of the season, making 19 stops. Pokusa made numerous key saves on free position attempts by the Blackbirds.
"She really just played out of her mind tonight," said head coach Steph Marcon. "She really kept us in the game."
Long Island struck first with a goal less than two minutes into play, but the Red Flash were able to catch up as Griffin-Townsend netted a goal a minute later on a free-position attempt. The Black birds scored again with 25:51 remaining in the first, taking a 2-1 lead.
The game slowed down, but Simmons tied the game five minutes later. The Blackbirds again took the lead on a goal by Allison Funk halfway through the first half. Another tally with 11:28 remaining put LIU up 4-2.
Griffin-Townsend notched two more, the second coming on a free-position shot, tying the game for the third time. Long Island scored twice more to take a 6-2 lead into the locker room.
Meg Lamarche (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) tallied a goal off of an LIU turnover to start the second half off right for the Red Flash, and continued on with another off a feed from Simmons. In between Lamarche's two goals, the Blackbirds scored another, making the score 7-4.
Simmons then netted a goal of her own before Chelsea Kent (Winter Springs, Pa./Winter Springs) put in her first of the game on a free-position shot with 23:29 left to play in the game.
The Blackbirds grabbed the ball on a failed clear by SFU, and put it past Pokusa. Long Island won the ensuing draw and got another one from Ashley Prizio, and scored again with 15:30 remaining.
Prizio and Simmons traded goals for their respective teams before Prizio and teammate Claire Ranney each put on net. Prizio scored yet another on a free position with 1:20 left. The Red Flash couldn't put another on net, and the Blackbirds took the 20-10 decision.
The Red Flash had 30 shots to the Blackbirds' 45, and grabbed 23 ground balls. Each team had 17 successful clears, but LIU was able to win 18 draws to SFU's 13.
Pokusa had 19 saves for Saint Francis.
