Photo Courtesy of Dustin Waleff
By Hanna Grove, Staff Writer
Susquehanna’s women’s lacrosse team faced off with the nationally ranked Catholic University Cardinals, dropping the decision 21-10 on April 14 in Washington, D.C.
The Cardinals came out firing on their home field jumping out to an early 6-0 lead, with just over seven minutes played in the first half.
During the run attacker Bridget Beck and midfielder Anna Maupin scored 13 seconds apart within the first minute to make it 2-0.
Catholic scored twice more in a 30-second span as midfielder Clare Richards and attacker Holly Regan pushed the lead to 4-0.
The final two goals on the early run for the Cardinals came from attacker Caroline Beckett and midfielder Molly Monaghan.
“The game plan going into a game against Catholic was just playing to the best of our ability and to try and keep up with them as best we can,” freshman attacker Heather Riefenhauser said, “They are the gold standard of the Landmark Conference and through hard work we hope to compete every time we play them.”
Being down 6-0, Susquehanna responded with two goals of their own as freshman midfielder Caitlin Harvey found the back of the net on an assist from senior midfielder Tori Lombardi, before junior attacker Caroline Chase scored unassisted.
With two straight goals from Susquehanna, midfielder Grace Hill responded for the Cardinals pushing the lead back to five midway through the first half.
Senior attacker Nicole Hauck got another one back for the River Hawks to cut the deficit back to four with an unassisted tally.
With the score 7-3, Catholic the final four goals of the half as Richards, Monaghan, Beckett and Beck all got their second goals of the game, to push the lead to 11-3 at the half.
Early in the second half Susquehanna got a goal back as Riefenhauser found the twine with an unassisted marker.
Catholic then pushed the lead to double figures as Maupin, attacker Kate Olsen and RIchards scored the next three goals for Cardinals, extending the lead to 14-4.
Over the next seven minutes, each squad grabbed three more goals. For the River Hawks junior midfielder Katie Hoerman, Chase and freshman attacker Madi Mitchell scored, while Monaghan, Richards and Olsen scored for the Cardinals.
Riefenhauser then got her second of the game to bring the deficit back to single digits, making it 17-8 midway through the second half.
Down the stretch Catholic scored four of the final six goals, as Olsen and Beckett both got their hat trick goals before midfielder Anna Corona and attacker Julia Ferraiolo.
The final two goals for Susquehanna came from Hauck and Chase, as the River Hawks fell to number six Catholic 21-10.
Following the loss, the River Hawks women’s lacrosse team improved to 3-3 on the season defeating the Elizabethtown College Blue Jays, on April 10, 15-10 on the Sassafras Multi-Purpose Field in Selinsgrove, Pa.
The Blue Jays came out firing early in the first half as attacker Lexie Sharp was able to beat freshman goalie Bea Daudelin through the legs, two minutes in.
A few minutes later, the River Hawks started a run, and jumped out to a 3-1 lead. During the run Hoerman found the net twice, with the first being assisted by Lombardi and the second coming with a man down. The final goal of the run came from Hauck as she found twine on the assist from Chase.
Elizabethtown responded with two more goals from Sharp with her hat trick tally coming on a beautiful feed from behind the net from midfielder Hannah Cressman.
With the score knotted at three the Blue Jays forced a River Hawk turnover as attacker Jesse Sartor was able to beat Daudelin to move Elizabethtown back in front 4-3.
Thirty seconds after Sartor moved the Blue Jays in front Chase got her first of the game to knot the score at four, with just 16 minutes to play in the first half.
Elizabethtown responded themselves thirty seconds later, as Sartor beat Daudelin again with the assist coming from Sharp.
The first half continued to move along, and with just over four minutes left in the first half, Sharp collected her fourth goal of the game giving the Blue Jays a 6-4 lead.
Mitchell was able to get one back for the River Hawks as she was able to get the shot past goaltender Jennifer Beihoff, making the score 6-5 heading to the half.
Mitchell said: “Playing Elizabethtown gave us another opportunity to work on the things we knew we can improve on from last game. We figured staying out wide would give everyone opportunities to drive towards the goal. Being a fit team helps us win games and given that opportunity to show that through our transition game and driving the ball to the goal, gives us that advantage.”
Early in the second half Sharp was able to grab another goal and beat Daudelin from the free position shot, before midfielder Kate Zeigler pushed the lead to three with five minutes gone in the second half, 8-5.
Susquehanna got one back as Hauck got her second of the game off the feed from senior defender Mary Vilardi on the free position opportunity.
Five minutes later Zeigler got her second of the game as she was able to fire one low through the legs of Daudelin, pushing the lead to 9-6.
Down three midway through the second half, Susquehanna responded with five straight goals to move in front 11-9.
During the run, Mitchell got her second of the game on the feed from Hoerman, before Chase cut the lead to one 30 seconds later.
With the score 9-8, Mitchell completed the hat trick to knot the score up at nine, with 13 and a half minutes left in the game.
Thirty seconds later Hauck was able to move the River Hawks back in front for the first time since it was 3-2 with 18 and a half minutes to play in the first half.
With Susquehanna in front, Lombardi doubled the lead, beating Beihoff on from the free position shot.
Elizabethtown would not go away quietly as Cressman cut the deficit to one as she found the twine behind Daudelin on the assist from Sartor.
With Susquehanna up by one with five and a half minutes to play, Chase and Riefenhauser took over to put the game out of reach, scoring the final four goals of the game.
During the run, Chase tallied three more goals, while Riefenhauser picked up a goal and an assist on the final goal from Chase.
After the final four goals by the River Hawks, Susquehanna picked up the 15-10 win to move to 3-3 on the season, before hosting Catholic University, to close out the regular season.
