FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College women's lacrosse team put to rest a late comeback run with a 15-11 win over the Saints of Marymount University on Saturday afternoon.
Inside the Box Score
Julia Gregory (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Twp.) scored six goals to lead the Blazers and won seven draw controls.
Rachel Harper (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) added four goals, while teammate Menna Salem (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) netted three and picked up five ground balls.
Abbey Bolingbroke (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) caused six turnovers to lead the Blazers defense.
Tayton Barrett (Georgia, Vt./Rice Memorial) in goal for the Blazers earned the win while making eight saves.
How it Happened
The sun was shining on Thomas Athletic Field, and so was the Blazer offense early into the contest as
Geneva DiRe (Lebanon Township, N.J./Voorhees) found teammate
Menna Salem (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) who netted the first goal of the game to give Hood the early advantage.
After assisting the first goal in the contest, DiRe took matters into her own hands and fired off a shot to give the Blazers a 2-0.
Almost at the midpoint mark of the quarter, Marymount responded with a goal of their own to cut into the lead.
The Blazer earned a free position shot opportunity, and
Julia Gregory (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Twp.) seized the moment and earned her first goal of the contest to put Hood's lead back to two.
After seeing one find the back of the net, Gregory started to pour it on the Saints as she scored two more goals to end the quarter and gave the Blazers a 5 to 1 lead.
Riding the momentum of the first quarter, the Blazers didn't take long to score again. Just 47 seconds into the second quarter,
Rachel Harper (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) joined the fun and scored to give Hood a five goal lead.
Despite the early deficit the Saints needed a response and found one in Natalia Ortiz to chip away at the lead.
Shortly after Marymount earned a free position shot and found the back of the net, to cut the deficit in half. The Blazer still held the advantage 6 to 3.
The Blazer really found their grove as the second quarter went on, Hood scored four unanswered goals and erupted offensively to lead 10-3.
All the momentum was in favor of the Blazers, but the Saints were unfazed by this, as they would score three more goals to end the quarter.
Headed into the break, the back and forth battle between the teams was bound to bleed over into the second half, but Hood held the advantage 10 to 6.
To start the second half, the defensive prowess was on display, it wasn't until another
Rachel Harper (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) goal at the nine minute mark to add onto the Blazer lead.
Shades of the first half started to show for the Blazer, as their offense began to click again and held a 14 to 6 lead.
The Saints earned another free shot chance and capitalized by finding the back of the net .
Headed into fourth quarter, the Blazer led 14 to 7.
The Blazers extended their lead 15 to 7, after a
Maggie Merrill (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge) goal.
Marymount flipped a switch offensively and found a rhythm that the Blazer couldn't find an answer to.
With six minutes remaining the Saints scored four goals and looked to make a late comeback in the contest.
The Blazers buckled down in the final six minutes of regulation and were able to hold off a potential Saints comeback with a 15-11 win.
For the Opponent
Mackenzie Morrissette and Natalia Ortiz each netted three goals.
Carmella Garcia won six draw controls.
Analysis
Hood edged Marymount in draw controls 15-13.
The Blazers won the ground ball battle over the Saints 23-10.
Hood outshot Marymount 37-25.
Notes
Hood improves to 3-3 overall.
Marymount falls to 4-3 overall.
Up Next
The squad will travel to Eastern Mennonite University on Wednesday, March 18, with game time set for 6 PM.
