Box Score CLAREMONT, Calif. – Despite equaling Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in draw controls (12-12) and unleashing 22 shots, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's lacrosse team fell, 16-6, to the Sagehens in a non-conference game at the South Athletic Complex Tuesday.
Pomona-Pitzer pulled away with a seven-goal spurt that spanned throughout the middle portion of the first half. The Sagehens then tacked on six unanswered goals for insurance in the early goings of the second stanza before the Hawks put together a string of four consecutive markers to force a Pomona-Pitzer timeout. That surge, however, was not enough to catch the Sagehens, as Pomona-Pitzer earned the home victory.
New Paltz drops to 0-2 overall with the loss and visits the University of Redlands next tomorrow night at 7 p.m. (PDT). Pomona-Pitzer rises to 5-1 with the win and faces Wesleyan (Conn.) University and Skidmore College from Thursday-Friday, March 19-20, at Colorado College.
Sophomore attacker
Melissa Wagner (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) put the Hawks on the board just 3:37 into the contest, scoring unassisted. Pomona-Pitzer answered with a 7-0 run, and after senior midfielder
Lianne Valdivia (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) found the back of the net with 3:35 to go before halftime to break up the spurt, Pomona-Pitzer scored twice in the final 1:02 to enter the intermission with a 9-2 lead.
The Sagehens continued scoring off crisp passing and quickness in transition, netting the first six goals of the second half. Sophomore midfielder/attacker Hannah Christenson's goal with 13:25 left in regulation gave Pomona-Pitzer a 15-2 lead, its largest of the day.
Valdivia scored twice to ignite a four-goal Hawk rally, which also included markers from senior attacker
Kelsey Healy (Central Islip, N.Y./Bay Shore) and Wagner. The Sagehens rounded out the game's scoring with just 1:52 left on the clock, as sophomore attacker Rebecca Long found the back of the net.
Pomona-Pitzer held a 32-22 advantage in shots and went 15-for-16 on clear attempts. New Paltz, meanwhile, went 12-for-21 on clears and fired 15 shots on goal during the contest, 10 of which came in the second half.
Valdivia paced the Hawks in scoring with three goals, while Wagner scored twice and Healy scored once. Healy also was credited with an assist on Wagner's final tally of the afternoon. Valdivia won four draw controls, while senior goalkeeper
Jackie Ulanoff (Northport, N.Y./Northport) scooped up a team-high five ground balls.
For Pomona-Pitzer, Christenson and Long accounted for the bulk of the team's scoring, notching five and four goals, respectively. Junior attacker Sarah Markowitz and junior midfielder Ally McLaughlin each dished out three assists, while McLaughlin picked up nine ground balls. McLaughlin and senior midfielder Alexa Sarussi each caused four turnovers to help the Sagehens defensively.
Ulanoff stood tall in the loss, making 12 saves, while her counterpart, sophomore goalkeeper Gaby Fukumura, stopped nine shots.
