Score: SUNY New Paltz 13 – Elmira College 7
Records: New Paltz (2-1), Elmira (0-3)
Location: North Turf Field – New Paltz, N.Y.
 
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. -- Elmira College women's lacrosse erased a three-goal first-half deficit and tied today's contest early in the second half, but the Soaring Eagles were unable to complete the comeback as SUNY New Paltz held on for a 13-7 win. EC starting goaltender Lindsay Wargo '17 made nine saves this afternoon to bring her career total to 279, which moved the Madison, Connecticut, native into a two-way tie for third place in program history.
 
New Paltz more than doubled Elmira's first-half shot total (15-to-7) and held a decisive advantage in draw controls (7-of-9), but a strong defensive performance from the Soaring Eagles limited the damage, as the Hawks took a slim 5-3 lead into the halftime break.
 
Alex Criollo and Caitlyn Morris netted goals for New Paltz in the first five minutes of regulation – the latter coming on a free-position attempt – to give the home team a 2-0 advantage. Elmira answered with back-to-back goals in a 1:31 span, as Hayley Baker '19 and Kyra McDonald '18 found the back of the cage to knot the score at 2-2. Mae Dinh '18 and Sarah Hughson '18 were credited with assists on the EC strikes.
 
The score remained tied for just 34 seconds until New Paltz's Kayla Massena found Nicole Gottschalk for the go-ahead goal with 21:52 remaining in the first half. New Paltz held onto its one-goal lead over the next 14:07 as neither team was able to tickle to twine, until Morris cashed in on free-position attempt at 7:45 to increase the lead to 4-2. Morris' tally was followed by another free-position goal, this one from the stick of Criollo, who delivered the Hawks' final goal of the half at 6:52.
 
On the ensuing draw control, New Paltz's Alicia Kennedy was called for an infraction and issued a yellow card, putting Elmira up an attacker for two minutes. The extra-player advantage paid dividends for the Soaring Eagles, as Hughson netted her second of the season at the 6:04 mark to cut the New Paltz lead to 5-3 heading into halftime.  Kelsey Quail '17 was credited with an assist on the Hughson goal.
 
Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 scored her first collegiate goal for the Purple and Gold 1:28 into the second half on an assist from Baker, which was followed by another EC score exactly four minutes later by Quail, leveling the non-conference tilt at 5-5. The two quick scores put the Hawks on their heels and forced a timeout from the coaching staff.
 
Following the timeout, Criollo buried her third goal of the afternoon, but EC's rookie standout Rachael Goetz '20 answered 25 seconds later with her fifth tally of the season to tie things up at 6-all.
 
EC rode its second-half momentum by securing the ensuing draw control, which yielded a pair of free-position attempts at the 22:17 and 22:03 marks. Elmira did not attempt a shot on the initial free-position, but did so on the second try. However, New Paltz's Kendraw Dansereau proved to be up for the challenge and made a key stop during what looked like the beginning stages of an Elmira run.
 
Dansereau's save marked the beginning of the end for Elmira, as the Hawks went on to score four consecutive goals as part of a 7-1 run to end the game and secure a 13-7 victory over the Soaring Eagles. Rachel Grampp '18 notched her first career goal during the run, as the Williamsville, New York, native found the back of the cage at the 3:46 mark.
 
Turning Point
Dansereau's timely save on an Elmira free-position attempt at the 22-minute mark was the key moment in the second half that greatly changed today's outcome. Up until that point, Elmira was riding high on a mini 4-1 run and a goal on that free-position attempt would have given the Soaring Eagles their first lead of the game. However, following the save, EC was held to just five shots in the final 22 minutes. Making matters worse for Elmira was its nine turnovers from that point on, three of which directly resulted in New Paltz goals.
 
Inside the Box Score

• New Paltz held a 28-to-19 advantage in shots and a 22-to-16 lead in shots on goal.
• The Soaring Eagles committed 26 turnovers, while the Hawks gave it away 24 times.
• Elmira went 13-for-19 (.684) on clear attempts and New Paltz was 12-for-16 (.750).
• EC won the ground-ball battle, 27-to-26.
• Draw controls were in favor of the Hawks, 14-to-8.
• Five of New Paltz's goals came on free-position attempts (5-for-9).
• Elmira went 0-for-2 on free-positions tries.
• Four Soaring Eagles tied for the team lead in points with two apiece.
• Quail (1g-1a-2p) tied for the game high with five ground balls.
• Quail also caused two turnovers and collected one draw.
• Goetz (1g-1a-2p) totaled three ground balls, one caused turnover and one draw control.
• Baker (1g-1a-2p) collected one ground ball and caused one turnover.
• Hughson (1g-1a-2p) finished with one ground ball and one caused turnover.
• McDonald, Grampp and Lippiatt Durnell each finished with one goal apiece.
• Grampp also logged four ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers.
• Lippiatt Durnell also finished with one ground ball.
• Dinh chipped in with one assist, two ground balls, one caused turnover and one draw control.
• Kelcey Crawford '18 tied for the team lead in ground balls with five, but finished with the team lead in caused turnovers with four.
• Wargo made nine saves and collected four ground balls in 60 minutes of work.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira caused a season-high 11 turnovers.
• The 28 shots allowed by EC is a season low and the first time this year Elmira has held an opponent below 30.
• Lippiatt Durnell and Grampp each registered their first collegiate goals this afternoon.
• Wargo moved into a two-way tie for third place in EC history for career saves (279).

 
Up Next
Elmira will look to snap its three-game skid this Saturday, March 25, when the Soaring Eagles host the Wildcats of Cazenovia College. The non-conference tilt is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on the turf field at the Ernie Davis Academy, located in Elmira, New York.