Photo and Written by Marquis Frias, Assistant Sports Editor
Peyton Goodrich’s 4 goals for Juniata (5-7 overall, 3-2 Landmark) helped lead the Eagles to a 13-9 win over the women’s lacrosse team (5-8, 2-3) on Wednesday in a Landmark Conference matchup at Sassafras Field.
Juniata would strike first after two goals in the first four minutes of play with goals from Skyler Stevens and Kyndall Yeager. Susquehanna would answer back in the final minutes of the first period after Abby Andrus scored her first of four goals of the day.
Back-and-forth action would ensue in the second period. Goodrich scored her second goal of the game for Juniata, followed by a score from SU’s Liv Owen after a free position shot. Juniata soon after responded with three more goals, including two more from Yeager and the first of the game for Kelliann Drummond, totaling the score at 6-3 at intermission.
At the start of the second half, Susquehanna looked destined for a comeback after Andrus scored her second goal of the game to shrink the margin to two. However, Juniata would maintain control of the ball throughout the third period, scoring another three goals in the period including a pair of goals from Goodrich.
Susquehanna’s Jessica Russo would open the fourth period scoring with a goal of her own to get the score to 9-6 in favor of Juniata. The Eagles would respond again after Yeager and Goodrich each scored a goal within the same minute. Emma Kelleher for the River Hawks would get on the board with a goal of her own with ten minutes left, but from there Juniata would maintain control of possession while scoring another two goals from Drummond and Ella McLaughlin. Andrus was able to score two late goals for Susquehanna, but it turned to be too little too late for the River Hawks.
Andrus finished the game with four goals, and Kelleher followed up with two goals and a pair of assists. Drummond, Goodrich, and Yeager each scored three or more goals for Juniata, with Goodrich and Yeager leading the way with four goals apiece.
“They started getting hot on their drives to the cage… But I think our defense played really well,” SU head coach Randall Swope said. “If we play our pace, and play our game… I think that would help us on Saturday.”
SU will play at Wilkes on Saturday before hosting Goucher at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.