FREDERICK, Md. - The Hood College women's lacrosse team made late game heroics down the stretch, but the Knights of Arcadia University prevailed on Saturday morning with the Blazers falling in the contest 12-10.
Inside the Box Score
Julia Gregory (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Twp.) paced the Blazer offense with four goals to lead the team and won four draw controls.
Rachel Harper (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) netted three goals in the game.
Maggie Merrill (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge) had a team led eight draw controls won, while teammate
Abbey Bolingbroke (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) won five.
Menna Salem (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) picked up three ground balls in the game.
How it Happened
An early morning start for the Blazers didn't slow them down, as
Rachel Harper (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) struck first for Hood to give them the early lead.
Just 26 seconds later,
Menna Salem (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) extended the lead to 2-0 in favor of the Blazer, as a fast start was needed against a formidable opponent.
The Knights were unfazed by the Blazer quick start and responded with two goals of their own to knot the game back at 2-2.
The momentum shifted over towards Arcadia as they netted two more goals, and Hood searched for some answers offensively.
They found those answers in none other than Julia Gregory (Sussex, N.J./Vernon Twp.) as she fired into the back of the net to close the gap to 4-3.
As the first quarter came to a close, the Knights netted two more, to the end the quarter up 6 to 3.
Headed into the second quarter, the game was shaping up to be a back and forth battle between the Blazers and Knights.
Gregory picked up where she left off with another goal to start the second quarter, and cut into the Knights lead.
The offenses on both sides seemingly simmered down after a hot start start up until midway through the second quarter, the Knights scored on a man-up goal to extend the lead to 7-4.
Arcadia netted another man-up goal just before the break and extend their lead to 8-4.
The third quarter began and
Rachel Harper (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge) was not done as she capitalized on a free position shot opportunity to cut into the lead.
Each and every time Hood fought back to stay in contention with Arcadia, the Knights responded back with a goal to make it 9 to 5.
Midway through the third the Knights extend to a five-point lead, and was looking to run away with it, but Harper continued on the attack and netted yet another goal for the Blazers, to end the third quarter at 10-6.
Each position was crucial for the Blazers, and
Maggie Merrill (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge) wasted no time with a score just 49 seconds into the fourth to cut the lead to three.
Arcadia throughout the game responded and did the same thing after the Merrill goal, with two more goals of their own.
With just a little over nine minutes, the score sat at 12 to 7, but the Blazers persistent pursuit to win the game was not deterred.
A late rally for the Blazers transpired, and after Hood netted three unanswered goals, the comeback was within reach.
Time was a factor now, and as it dwindled down so where the chances of a Blazers comeback, as the Knights played keep away for the rest of the quarter and shut the door on a heroic comeback from Hood to hand the team a 12-10 loss.
For the Opponent
Three different Arcadia players had a hat trick in goals.
Jaylee Killgore picked up three ground balls in the contest.
Analysis
Hood outshot Arcadia 31-29.
The Blazers were edged in the ground ball battle 15-14.
Hood led in draw controls won 17-7.
Notes
Hood falls to 4-4 overall.
Arcadia improves to 8-0 overall.
Up Next
The squad is back on the road and will start conference play against the Mustangs of Stevenson University on Wednesday, April 1, at 4 PM.
