Rutgers Upends Loyola, 10-8
Mar 11 | Women's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers roared back from a two-goal halftime deficit to post a 10-8 BIG EAST victory over Loyola in women's collegiate lacrosse action on Sunday afternoon.
Four players scored two or more goals for the Scarlet Knights (4-1, 1-0 BE). Freshman Brooke Cantwell (Moorestown, N.J.) had three strikes. Freshman Mary Cryan (Newton Square, Pa.) and sophomores Nina Frankoski (Maplewood, N.J.) and Katy Lawrence (Pylesville, Md.) had two goals each.
Scarlet Knights goalies Sandra Abel and Erika Page combined to make six stops. RU's stingy defense held the Greyhounds to just six shots in the second half and just one free position attempt in the game.
The teams swapped goals to start the game with Loyola evening the score at 2-2 following a goal by sophomore Colleen O'Keefe. Rutgers then rattled off the next three goals, two from free position conversions. Cryan tallied her second of the contest with 21:39 on the clock and senior Katie Batiuk followed two minutes later with a goal of her own off a free attempt. Cantwell finished the spurt with her first goal of the contest with 17 left to play in the first half.
Loyola would score the game's next five goals - two from Maura Kenny - to shift the momentum in its favor and take a two-goal lead at intermission.
Trailing 7-5 at the half, Rutgers erupted for five unanswered scores to build a lead it would not relinquish. Lawrence dropped in two-straight free position goals in a five-minute span to knot the game at 7-7 with 21:45 to play.
After senior Anne Marchitello won the ensuing draw, Rutgers went to work. Frankoski drove through traffic to push the Scarlet Knights to an 8-7 advantage. The lead was pushed to 9-7 when Cryan, behind the cage, fed Frankoski exactly six minutes later.
Cantwell completed her hat trick with an unassisted tally with seven minutes remaining to lift RU to a 10-7 edge. Loyola would end a 25-minute scoring drought with a tally with six minutes to go by Alicyn Brunnett.
Rutgers out-shot Loyola, 26-16, including a 13-6 advantage in the second half.
The Scarlet Knights travel to in-state rival Monmouth on Wednesday, March 14 for a 4:00 p.m. contest.
