Photo Cortesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Ashley Nace
The Susquehanna Women’s Lacrosse team had a tough fall on Senior day as they lost to Scranton 14-7 Saturday at Sassafras Multipurpose Field.
The pregame ceremony celebrated six graduating seniors: Aerin O’Brien, Abby Andrus, Kimberly Nagengast, Rachel Barattucci, Ruby Calabrese and Lizzy Povalski.
“We were all hyped to like celebrate our seniors,” said freshman Alena Malinowski, who earned two goals for the River Hawks against Scranton.
Both teams took a couple of minutes to settle into the game, then Scranton took to the net first for a goal at 12:07.
Two more back-to-back goals gave the Royals an early lead, but after a green card for the River Hawks, junior Sophia Trively scored with an assist by Andrus to get Susquehanna on the board.
Scranton came right back for another goal to extend their lead to 4-1, but more pressure on Susquehanna’s net gave O’Brien several good saves.
Trively earned her second goal of the game in the first quarter off an assist by junior Jessica Russo, but Scranton took the ball back for another goal with 3:10 to go.
The Royals capped off the first quarter with a free position goal in the last 20 seconds to bring the score to 6-2.
“Even when we had our lows throughout the game, our energy was up,” Malinowski said. “I think our team dynamic today was like one of the best it’s been.”
The second quarter didn’t go the way Susquehanna planned.
Scranton came in for a couple of shots on net early in the quarter, giving O’Brien another save. Russo also had a shot on the Royals’ net that was saved.
Three more shots came down on the River Hawks, with the third finally being successful for the Royals as they earned their first goal of the quarter. They scored their second in a similar fashion.
Another goal for Scranton came as the clock showed 7:16. After sophomore Sloane Coddington missed on a shot for the River Hawks, Scranton came in for yet another goal a minute later.
As the half winded down, Scranton earned their final goal with 3:43 left to play, bringing the final score at halftime to 11-2 with the Royals leading.
“I think it was like we had nothing to lose mentality,” said Malinowski about entering the second half of play.
The River Hawks proved that they were still in it,
starting the third quarter explosively. Sophomore Makaela Larkin got the first goal for Susquehanna in the first 16 seconds of play.
Scranton had two opportunities, but with one missed shot and one saved by O’Brien the River Hawks got a chance and Russo scored on an assist by Trively at 13:06.
Scranton earned another goal a few minutes later, but Susquehanna was hungry for more as Russo took a shot on net that missed and was collected by the River Hawks, then shot again by first year Maggie McDermott, but neither scored.
With under five minutes left, Scranton scored the last goal of the quarter, but not without one final incredible possession by the River Hawks.
Susquehanna’s defense smacked the ball out of a Royals’ stick and bobbled it down the field toward Scranton’s net, when Andrus ripped a shot that was blocked.
Heading into the final quarter down 13-4, the River Hawks weren’t finished and came out to produce their most exciting quarter yet.
“I mean, I think it’s just leaving everything you have out on the field,” said Malinowski and she led by example as the game wrapped up.
Scranton earned their first goal in 16 seconds, but the final quarter never got any better for the Royals.
Waverly Oake-Libow and Malinowski both had shots early on the quarter for the River Hawks, but both were saved.
Malinowski made the first goal off a free position shot. Right after a Royals’ timeout, Malinowski pushed her way through the defense for another goal to make the score 14-6.
Russo, Oake-Libow and Andrus all had shots that followed, but all missed or were saved. Four quick passes up the field on a counter by the River Hawks finally produced another goal by Abby DiComes assisted by Russo at 2:30.
Russo, Malinowski and Larkin had shots to finish out the game. The River Hawks fell in a valiant effort to the Royals in a 14-7 loss as they clawed their way back.
“I think our effort today was great and I think that’s really like good to go into playoffs with,” said Malinowski.
Trively led the way for the River Hawks in a losing effort with two goals and an assist for three points. Russo matched the team high point total of three points with a goal and two assists.
The River Hawks face Goucher on Wednesday, April 22 to finish out their regular season and get set to battle in the Landmark Conference Playoffs.