Score: Hartwick College 10 – Elmira College 5
Records: Hartwick (7-3, 3-2 E8), Elmira (2-7, 0-3 E8)
Location: Wright Stadium – Oneonta, N.Y.
 
ONEONTA, N.Y. -- What stood as a one-goal game for a good portion of the first half turned into a 10-5 setback for the Elmira College women's lacrosse team, as the Soaring Eagles dropped an Empire 8 Conference bout to Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York.
 
Three different Hawks logged goals in the opening five-and-a-half minutes, but back-to-back tallies by Elmira's Kelsey Quail '17 and Rachel Grampp '18 trimmed the Hartwick lead to 3-2 at the 21:43 mark. Hayley Baker '19 was credited with an assist on Grampp's tally.
 
Hartwick's Jennifer Darasz answered just about two minutes later, but tally from Baker at 16:31 made it a one-goal game once again, 4-3. Senior Kylie Connell '17 picked up an assist on the goal. This would be the final tally of the half for Elmira, as the Hawks scored two unanswered to take a 6-3 lead into the halftime break. However, those two tallies were the beginning of a five-goal run by the Hawks that bridged the first and second halves.
 
Ashley Werner made her presence felt in the second half, as she struck for a trio of goals to open the final frame. Maybe more significant was that Werner's goals were spread out over a 15:48 span, which gave Hartwick a 9-3 lead with 10:15 left in regulation.
 
The Soaring Eagles had a handful of chances to score during Hartwick's run, but were unable to convert on the seven shots they launched during that time. Of Elmira's seven attempts, one hit the post and five made their way on frame, but Hartwick goalie Carleigh Tarala denied EC on each of those five attempts. Three of the team's seven shots came on free-positions, two of which resulted in saves, while the other sailed wide.  
 
Connell would eventually end the Hartwick run with free-position goal at 9:57, but a goal from Werner at 3:50 and another by EC's Kelcey Crawford '18 sixteen seconds later rounded out the day's scoring, as the Purple and Gold suffered a 10-5 loss.
 
Turning Point
The opening 10 minutes of the second half proved to be the difference in today's league bout. During the 10-minute time frame, Elmira went 0-for-7 on its shot attempts, including a 0-for-3 mark on free-position shots. Only two of EC's shots missed their target, as a free-position attempt by Rachael Goetz '20 sailed wide at 14:35 and Louisa Lippiatt Durnell '18 saw her attempt at the 12:01 mark carom off the post. The other five shots by Elmira were saved by Hartwick's Tarala.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Hartwick held a slight lead in shots, 26-24, as well as shots on goal, 18-14.
• EC committed 27 turnovers, while Hartwick turned it over 26 times.
• After starting 3-for-10 on clears in the first half, EC went 8-for-10 in the second half.
• The Hawks went 15-for-23 on clear attempts.
• Elmira finished with 31 ground balls, two more than Hartwick's 29 total.
• The Soaring Eagles won the draw control battle, 11-to-6.
• Elmira was 2-for-8 on free-position attempts, while Hartwick went 0-for-2.
• Baker and Connell tied for the team lead in points with two apiece.
• Baker also collected two ground balls, while Connell scooped up one.
• Quail, Grampp and Crawford were EC's other goal scorers this afternoon.
• Crawford also finished with a game-high eight draw controls, five ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• Grampp logged four ground balls, two caused turnovers and one draw control.
• Lindsay Wargo '17 made 10 saves in 60 minutes of work and finished with a game-high eight ground balls.

 
News and Notes

• Elmira's conference record dropped to 0-3 on the 2017 season.
• Today marked the third time EC has controlled more draws, but walked away with a loss.
• Wargo logged her fifth double-digit save performance of the year.
• Wargo's seven ground balls were a season- and career-high.
• Wargo increased her career save total to 331, just 24 shy of moving into a tie for second place in program history.

 
Up Next
Elmira is back in action next Saturday, April 15, when the Soaring Eagles host Alfred University in a 1:00 p.m. conference tilt.