In any sport, it's usually the seniors that make the storyline on Senior Day. Saturday's Women's Lacrosse match versus Patriot League rival Holy Cross was no exception, although a balanced effort from everyone made it possible.
The Eagles (7-6, 5-0 PL) thumped the Crusaders (7-8, 2-4) in the second half by outscoring them 8-3 en route to a 13-6 victory at Reeves Field.
Junior attacker Rebecca Copeland had three goals and an assist to lead AU. But all five seniors, who have seen regular action this season, got on the board: attacker Lindsay Cartin (one goal, two assists), midfielder Tara Michael (two goals), midfielder Nicole McCarthy (one goal, one assist), attacker Courtney Bennett (one goal) and defender Lynn Brandon (one assist).
More than eight minutes passed before either team scored, the first of its kind this season for the Eagles. AU sophomore goalkeeper Kathleen Finnegan had three saves in the first session, but Holy Cross's Megan Orr, who is third in the PL in save percentage, held her own early with seven first-half saves.
However, the Eagles more than made up for the offensive impotence of the first half in the second. They broke away after the break and wore away the Crusaders' confidence with an unrelenting attack.
This victory puts the Eagles one win away from an undefeated conference record, a goal never achieved in program history. Should AU win at Colgate this Saturday in a battle of unbeaten teams, they will have the top seed in the PL Tournament the following weekend for the second straight year.
The Eagles will be fit to top the Raiders if they played like they did in the second half of Saturday's match, although their play against the Crusaders wasn't as sharp early.
Holy Cross broke the opening eight-minute drought when Katie Britt muscled around McCarthy to fire a bouncing shot past Finnegan.
The Eagles brought the match even when Tara Michael converted a free position to a goal at 21:00.
Holy Cross countered two minutes later to take a 2-1 lead, its only lead of the match. AU then strung together three unanswered goals in the middle of the half. Copeland was instrumental in the run, first scoring a patient goal off a pass from McCarthy and then a quick catch-and-shoot from Brandon.
The Crusaders scraped back to 4-3 when Kate Britt stared down Finnegan on the goalmouth after a pass from behind the net, but that would be the last time Holy Cross would stare at a close game.
AU's second-half start was the opposite of its first-half start, adding to its lead only 55 seconds in on a ferocious free position attempt by sophomore attacker Moriah Linnell.
The Eagles outscored the Crusaders 4-2 in the next 10 minutes to lead 10-5. At 16:58, Copeland, waiting patiently behind the net, fed McCarthy, who streaked across the goal mouth in a textbook play.
Holy Cross managed to score once more, but AU scored twice more in the final five minutes before the final whistle sealed the victory.
The Eagles travel to Colgate on Saturday, April 24 at 1 p.m.
