Score: Elmira College 10, New England College 9
Records: Elmira (1-6), New England (3-6)
Location: Ernie Davis Academy -- Elmira, New York

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College women's lacrosse team climbed out of an early hole to defeat the visiting Pilgrims of New England College by one, 10-9, in a non-conference contest on Sunday afternoon. Rachel Grampp '18 netted the game-winning goal with 3:47 remaining in regulation to lift the Soaring Eagles to their first win of the 2017 campaign.

After beating the Pilgrims handedly in their first-ever meeting last season, it appeared the Purple and Gold were on pace to do much of the same this time around. EC won the opening draw needed only 16 seconds to race down the field and score the opening tally, the first of a game-high four goals off the stick of Kyra McDonald '18. Elmira doubled its lead 3:22 later, as senior captain Kylie Connell '17 gathered a feed from McDonald and buried it past NEC netminder Mackenzie Meegan.

New England and sophomore Tara Bainbridge responded with a momentous 5-0 run, turning the 2-0 deficit into a three-goal advantage. Bainbridge, who eclipsed the 100-career point plateau in the game, registered all of her team-leading four points during the Pilgrims' rally. After Bainbridge knotted the score at 2-all, New England won the next three draw controls and scored three more times in a span of 1:06, resulting in a 5-2 cushion.

Elmira, however, ended the half with four of the last five goals, as part of a 6-1 run that bridged into the second half. EC tallied twice inside the final two minutes of the opening period; standout rookie Rachael Goetz '20 reduced the deficit to one with a free-position shot, before feeding McDonald to earn an assist on the tying goal. After a speedy transition, Goetz found McDonald uncovered inside the arc, and with a pair of defenders closing in, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native flicked a beautiful underhanded shot over Meegan.

While the start of the second half was a chocked full of turnovers from both sides, Goetz and Kelsey Quail '17 cashed in on back-to-back free position attempts a mere 48 seconds apart to break the stalemate and regain the lead at 8-6.

Goetz was given another free position shot following a yellow card assessed to New England's Lindsey Stewart, but this time she was rejected by Meegan. After clearing the ball, Allison Granta was awarded a free restart on the other end of the field, where she posted the first of her three second-half goals. Granata leveled the score at 8-8, and again at 9-9 with 4:50 to play in regulation.

Grampp's lone goal of the game came after Goetz rang a free-position shot off of the post. EC maintained possession after the miss, and Connell dumped it off to Grampp at about the 15-yard line. With a full head of steam, the junior from Williamsville, New York, slashed through the entire New England defense, switched to her left hand, and fired a shot into the upper right corner, giving Elmira the 10-9 advantage.

Turning Point
Sunday's non-conference tilt looked to be one destined for overtime, as both sides went back-and-forth in the second half. After Grampp had given EC the lead with what eventually went down as the game-winner, New England's Tailor Chapin had a prime chance to tie the game with less than three minutes to play. Practically unmarked, Chapin rolled in front of the cage from the left-wing side and was one-on-one with Elmira's Lindsay Wargo '17, but her shot sailed high of the crossbar.

In Her Own Words...
Head Coach Alexa Tardif shares her thoughts on EC's win…
"I think we worked together as a team to achieve today's win. I'm really pleased with how they played and worked together. Our transitions were the best I've seen this season and I think this momentum will be huge for us moving forward."
 
Coach Tardif talks more about Elmira's success clearing the zone…
"Our positioning on clearing and in transition has gotten better with each game – it could still be improved upon – but now we are starting to find our teammates a little better and move into open space."
 
Coach Tardif on McDonald's play this afternoon…
"She had a phenomenal game today and I am very proud of her. She's starting to really come into her own right now, especially as a captain. I think she made really good decisions with the ball and that's what worked to her advantage today."

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira finished with a 26-to-18 advantage in shots.
• EC also collected more ground balls, 40-to-29, and edged the Pilgrims in draw controls, 11-to-10.
• The Soaring Eagles scored on 3-of-12 free position chances, while the Pilgrims converted their only attempt.
• Combined between the two teams, 68 total turnovers were committed.
• McDonald led all scorers with four goals and five points.
• Goetz was second on the team with four points (3g, 1a).
• Quail and Grampp each finished with one goal and one assist.
• Quail added five ground balls, four caused turnovers, and two draw controls to her stat line.
• Sarah Hughson '18 finished with one assist to go along with five ground balls, five draw controls, and three caused turnovers.
• Kelcey Crawford '18 caused five turnovers and collected a team-high six ground balls.
• Wargo made four saves en route to the win in goal for Elmira.
• Granata recorded a hat trick, three caused turnovers and three draw controls for the Pilgrims.
• Bainbridge finished with two goals and two assists for four points.
• Meegan made six saves between the pipes.

News and Notes

• Elmira earned its first win of the season and is now 1-6 on the year.
• EC is 2-0 all-time against New England.
• The Soaring Eagles posted season highs in goals scored (10), caused turnovers (20), and ground balls (40).
• EC's 40 ground balls are the most in a game for the Soaring Eagles since picking up 52 against Alfred State on April 28, 2012.
• McDonald's four goals and five points are both career highs.
• Goetz tied her season high with three goals, while her four points set a new personal single-game record.
• Grampp scored the first game-winning goal of her career and her five ground balls are a season high.
• Connell's goal was her first of the 2017 season.

Up Next
The Elmira women hit the road for a non-conference tilt against the Wells College Express on Wednesday, April 5, at 4:00 p.m.