WOMEN’S LACROSSE DROPS TIGHTLY-CONTESTED 15-13 DECISION TO ST. ANSELM

Box Score vs. St. Anselm - March 13, 2009

MILFORD, N.H. (Mar. 13, 2009) – Junior midfielder Kristie Sosnowski (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) recorded a game-high five goals and a season-best 21 draw control wins, but it did not get the job done as the Molloy College women’s lacrosse team fell to St. Anselm College on Friday by a score of 15-13 at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, N.H. She also registered two caused turnovers and led all players with 10 shots on goal.

Trailing 1-0 with 26-plus minutes to go in the first half, the Hawks (1-2) ran off three straight goals in a span of 3:27 to take a 3-1 lead with 23:51 left. Senior attacker Michaela Rocha (Rye, N.H.) opened up the burst with an unassisted marker. She also capped it with a tally from the free position. Sophomore attacker Courtney Ford (Concord, N.H.) accounted for the other score on an unassisted effort.

But, the Lions (2-2) responded by notching three of the next four goals during an eight-minute stretch to tie the game up at 4-all. Senior midfielder Erin Brady (Long Beach, N.Y.) had a tally and an assist in the spurt. The assist on the tally, which deadlocked the score, came from junior attacker Rebecca LaFlare (Lindenhurst, N.Y.). Sosnowski and sophomore midfielder Hayley Lacey (Levittown, N.Y.) also found the back of the cage.

After that, the two squads traded markers until the 23:45 mark of the latter stanza. Knotted at 8-up, Rocha got her fourth score of the contest for St. Anselm with no assist. It also turned out to be the eventual game-winner as Molloy was unable to tie the game or take back the lead. The goal was also part of a four-marker streak in which the hosts grabbed a 10-8 advantage with 20:43 remaining.

For the Lions, LaFlare totaled a team-leading seven points on four goals and three assists. She also took nine shots. Brady raked a goal and four assists for five points. Senior defender Kelly LaClair (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) gathered two ground balls, two draws and two caused turnovers. Sophomore defender Christina Metelenis (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) registered two ground balls and one caused turnover. Senior goalie Alicia Frisch (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) made 11 saves.

As for the Hawks, Rocha finished with a game-high nine points (5 G, 4 A). She also attempted nine shots. Freshman midfielder Meghan Smith (East Rochester, N.Y.) totaled four points off of two goals and a pair of assists. She also earned four ground balls and two caused turnovers. Ford notched a hat trick and took seven shots (six SOG). Junior defender/midfielder Tia Karon (Medford, Mass.) scored two goals. She also notched five ground balls, three caused turnovers and one draw control.

Junior attacker Alyson McDonough (Brunswick, Maine) and freshman midfielder Shawna Walsh (Woburn, Mass.) added two points apiece on a goal and an assist. Walsh also compiled four ground balls, three draws and three caused turnovers. Senior defender Kayleigh Farrell (Nashua, N.H.) recorded three ground balls, two caused turnovers and one draw control. Sophomore cageminder Katherine O’Hara (Norwell, Mass.) turned aside a game-best 18 saves in addition to registering four ground balls and one caused turnover.

Molloy owned a 41-36 edge in shots and a 23-7 edge in draws, while St. Anselm held a 27-17 margin in ground balls. In clearing attempts, the Lions converted 78.0 (32-for-41) of them. The Hawks were 24-for-31 (77.4 percent) on clears. On free-position shots, St. Anselm was successful on 3-of-12 (25.0 percent) of them. Molloy scored on 28.6 percent (2-of-7) of its attempts inside the eight-meter line.

Head Coach Tom Campolettano and the Lions return to action this Sunday when they continue their road trip in the Manchester area against Southern New Hampshire University. The opening draw is scheduled for 1 p.m. A Live Stats feed will be provided at http://livestats.prestosports.com/southernnh.