The AU women’s lacrosse team earned their first Patriot League win of the season Saturday, as they defeated the Bucknell University Bison 15-13.
Senior Amanda Makoid led AU with a career-high four goals, giving her a team-leading 13 for the season. Five other Eagles scored two goals apiece and junior Brit Ferguson controlled a career-high nine draws. The win snapped a two-game losing streak.
AU scored early and often on the afternoon, beginning with a Makoid goal 16 seconds into the contest. It quickly turned into a back and forth affair, as Bucknell responded with three unanswered goals in the next six minutes. AU then bounced back to score three of their own, including two by sophomore Lauren Schoenberger.
Bucknell’s Chelsea Peters scored with 11 minutes remaining in the first half to tie the contest at four. A flurry of goals were exchanged by both sides in the final third of the half, culminating in back-to-back AU goals. The two goals gave AU a 7-5 advantage. Chiara Speziale, Emily Burton and Samantha Marshall each scored for the Eagles.
Marshall scored again at the start of the second half to increase the AU lead to three. Not easily discouraged, Bucknell rebounded with three goals in just over two minutes. Paige Cobbs, who led the Bison with four goals on the day, scored two unassisted points in that span.
AU responded yet again with their best minute of the entire game. Makoid, Paige Lin and Emily Stankiewicz each scored in less than one minute, to give the Eagles an 11-8 lead. This minute burst gave AU a lead that they would not relinquish for the remainder of the match. A Ryan Gribbon goal pulled Bucknell back to within one goal with nine minutes left, but another set of goals by Lin and Stankiewicz sealed the AU victory.
The Eagles took twice as many shots as Bucknell, outshooting the Bison 42-21. They also controlled more draws, winning that statistical category 19-11. Kaska Komosinski recorded five saves for the win. Not only did the Eagles beat Bucknell in shots, but they also won the turnover battle 18-17. Unlike AU’s previous game, there were no man advantages and few fouls in the game.
With the victory, AU improves to 3-6 on the season and 1-1 in the Patriot League. It also gives the Eagles momentum heading into a three game home stand, which will begin Wednesday, March 24 when they take on George Mason University.
You can reach this writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.
