April 20, 2008

Box Score

Davis, CA - The Saint Mary's women's lacrosse team returned to Mountain Pacific Sports Federation action with a 14-13 loss to UC Davis on Sunday afternoon from Aggie Stadium. With the loss, Saint Mary's falls to 2-13 overall and is now 0-4 in MPSF play. UC Davis improved to 6-10 overall and 1-4 in MPSF action.

Sophomore attacker Abbie Coleman posted two goals with a game-high four assists for Saint Mary's, while sophomore Alana Burrough and junior Dana Elfvin each performed hat tricks to lead the Gaels in the scoring column.

UC Davis ran up a 5-1 lead during the first 21 minutes of play with Katie McMahon and Katie McGovern each scoring two goals in that stretch. But SMC midfielder P.J. Hainley helped her team battle back, scoring two goals in the final four minutes of the period - including a goal with four seconds remaining -- cutting the Aggie lead to 6-5 at the halftime break.

After the break, the Gaels tied the game after the opening draw on Chloe Dee's unassisted goal, then took their first lead when Burrough hit her eight-meter attempt at the 31:32 mark. The Aggies knotted the score at 7-7 when Patrice Clark assisted McGovern on a fast-break opportunity, then Molly Lapolla converted an eight-meter shot at the 35-minute mark to put UC Davis up by an 8-7 edge.

This began a pattern that continued for the remainder of the game: Saint Mary's tied the score, the Aggies took a one-goal lead, then the Gaels answered back to re-tie the game.

Elfvin's goal with 7:06 remaining put the score at 13-13, the contest's eight straight tie. McGovern won the subsequent draw, and the Aggies had two eight-meter opportunities in their attacking third. Those two chances resulted in a saved shot by SMC goalkeeper Hilary Gardner and a turnover, but UC Davis freshman Jacklyn Taylor quickly interrupted the Gael possession with her steal at 54:40. This set the stage for Aggie freshman Christina Corsa, who had missed on two previous eight-meter chances, to redeem herself with a final go-ahead goal.

Trailing 14-13, Saint Mary's had possession in its attacking end with less than three minutes remaining, but freshman Rachael Martinez knocked down a Burrough pass, then flipped the loose ball to Aggie goalie Hilary Harkins. This allowed UC Davis to enter a clock-management mode, protecting its one-goal lead for the last two minutes of play.

Saint Mary's will return to action with its final game of the 2008 season finale on April 27, when the Gaels host the Denver Pioneers. The MPSF game between SMC and Denver will begin at 1 p.m. at Saint Mary's Stadium.