In a game with striking similarities to the 2007 Semifinal, the Eastern University women's lacrosse team rallied from a 9-6 halftime deficit to emerge with a 12-9 win over Gwynedd-Mercy College. With the win, the Eagles advance to play Cabrini College in the PAC Final for the seventh straight time this Saturday.
The Griffins jumped to an early 1-0 lead, and the game settled into a defensive rhythm. Erin Fries scored her first of four goals on the day on a pass from Katie Choquette with 20 minutes to play in the period to tie the game.
That tie was very short-lived as Gwynedd-Mercy's Kristie Pollack scored in transition just twenty seconds later. The Griffins proceeded to build their lead to 5-1, with the final goal in the run coming on a quick stick from Kate Loftus just over halfway through the period. The Eastern staff took a time out, and the team responded and began to work the ball for shots. Their efforts were finally rewarded as Choquette collected her first of the day on a pass from Grace Griffith.
As they did before, the Griffins responded almost immediately and built a 7-2 lead on goals from Loftus and Colleen Dellostretto. At that point, Jessie Basch began to put her stamp on the game. The two-time 1st team All-PAC Selection was cleared to play for the first time in nearly a month, and she seemed to be searching for her spot in the early moments. Basch picked up her first point of the day on a nice feed to a cutting Fries to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Katie Maguire picked up her second straight draw control to earn possession back for the Eagles, and Basch quickly found her way to the cage for her first of three on the day. Two minutes later the junior from Zionsville, Indiana picked up her second of the day to trim the Griffin lead to a more manageable 7-5. The Griffins continued to press forward and Loftus scored her third of the day with two minutes to play on a pass from Kalli Bass that looked almost identical to her first of the day.
Choquette answered with a free position goal with a minute to play, and it looked as though the Eagles would go to the break down two. A late free position goal from Bridget Gibson would lift the visitors to what seemed to be a commanding 9-6 lead at the break. What was particularly discouraging was that the Eastern defense, which leads the PAC in goals allowed at under eight per game, could not seem to shut down the Griffin attack. Gwynedd-Mercy fired 15 shots to the Eagles eleven in the first half, and they converted on two of three free position attempts.
After a five minute lull to start the second half, the defending champions scored three times in two minutes to erase the deficit. Giffith opened the scoring wither first of the day on drive through traffic. Forty seconds later Basch scored her third on a Choquette feed. Fries scored exactly one minute later after Katie Maguire forced a turnover and recovered the ballint he Eastern end. Basch delivered the final pass for to set up the goal. Coach Azzarano said of the burst, “It was great to see Erin step up. She did a great job of making herself available, and she scored on all four of her shots. Our defense really stepped up at the start of the second half.”
The Eagles took the lead for good with 19:30 to play in the game when Basch fed Choquette in transition.
The Eagles continued to control play and Kim Campbell and the defense were ready every time the Griffins ventured into the Eastern half. Campbell built a wall in front of the goal with seven second half saves including a pair of huge stops on free position attempts. Lindsey Moosey led the Eagles with four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Azzarano glowed when asked about her team's defensive effort in the second half saying, “Kim had a great second half, Linnea (Davis) showed her leadership back there. We challenged them at the half to increase pressure, and each player stepped up her game.”
With Basch out on yellow card, Fries slammed home her fourth of the day for a big insurance goal with eleven minutes to play. Griffith scored her second of the day for a more comfortable 12-9 finish. Gwynedd-Mercy finishes the year at 11-8.
The Battle of Eagle Road will determine the PAC Champion for the seventh consecutive year and ninth time in the last ten. Cabrini found their way to the final with a late comeback of their own in a wild 24-23 overtime win over the College of Notre Dame.
Box Score
