Late Comeback Not Enough In 12-9 Women's Lacrosse Loss

AURORA, N.Y. – The Express outscored their opponent by an 8-to-3 margin in the second half, but the comeback was not enough as the Wells College women's lacrosse team posted a 12-9 loss to the Wildcats of Cazenovia College on Sunday at the South Athletic Field. With the loss, the Express dip to 0-5 overall on the season and to 0-2 within the North Eastern Athletic Conference. The win boosts Cazenovia to 2-6 overall and to 1-2 in league play.

Sophomore Lexie Roberson (Winston-Salem, N.C.) led all Wells players with three goals and one assist for four points (3-1=4). Freshman Shianne Stokes (Mays Landing, N.J.) racked up three goals to record her first collegiate hat trick while junior Marina Fargnoli (Apalachin, N.Y.) and freshman Jessica Burbank (Stamford, Conn.) registered a goal and an assist for two points (1-1=2).

Trailing by a 12-1 margin with 20:08 left in regulation time, the Express scored the game's final eight goals despite battling a running clock with a 10 goal deficit in their quest to mount a comeback. Stokes scored the second half's first goal for Wells at 18:17, collecting a feed from Roberson to cut into the lead. Sophomore Andrea Gould (Fulton, N.Y.) scored exactly four minutes later, removing the running clock rule by cutting Cazenovia's lead to nine with 14:17 left in the second half.

Despite trailing 12-3, the Express saw goals from Fargnoli, Roberson and Stokes in succession to bring the score to 12-6 with 6:35 left in the tilt. Roberson and Stokes each recorded their third goals of the game at 2:36 and 1:00, respectively, while Burbank added a free position tally with 28 seconds left on the clock to conclude the game's scoring.

Cazenovia outshot Wells by a 17-to-3 margin in the first half, but the Express rallied to fire 20 shots in the second half alone and ultimately trailed Cazenovia by a 30-to-23 margin across 60 minutes. Cazenovia also won the ground ball battle, scooping up 42 loose balls opposed to only 30 for the Express. Wells, however, was a season-best 9-for-13 on clears while Cazenovia failed to clear the ball nine times on the afternoon.

Senior goaltender Chelsea Dann (Flagstaff, Ariz.) made nine saves against 21 shots faced for Wells, drawing her second loss of the season. Cazenovia netminder Abigail Kortz allowed nine goals on 17 total shots, collecting her second win of the year.

The Express return to action Wednesday, Apr. 9 as they host the Hawks of SUNY New Paltz in a 4:30 p.m. contest at the South Athletic Field.