During their three year reign as PAC Champions, the Eastern University Women's lacrosse team always knew that their biggest challenge would come from across the street. Now the Eagles travel an unfamiliar path through the MAC. They encountered their first bump in the road this afternoon at Elizabethtown College. The #20 Blue Jays used aggressive midfield defending and seven goals from reigning MAC Player of the Year Katie Foley to earn a 19-10 win.

The game started at a blazing pace with ten goals in the first eleven minutes. Stephanie Kreis scored the first of her four on the day to put the hosts up 1-0 just 50 seconds into the day, but Eastern's Courtney Brennan buried an eight meter attempt just 30 seconds later to level the match at one. Elizabethtown then scored four straight in a four minute stretch to pull away to a 5-1 lead with 23:38 to go in the half. The final goal in that run was Foley's first of the day.

The Eagles refused to back down and stormed back with three straight goals in a two and a half minute spell to cut the Elizabethtown lead to 5-4. Erin Fries scored her first of the day on Jessie Basch feed. Erin Reimel then fired a high shot from in close on a Kristin Brownett pass. Grace Griffith then scored in transition after the Eagles caused a turnover in the midfield and threw ahead to Katie Choquette who drew the final defender to the right side before flipping a pass to an open Griffith on the left.

The Blue Jays then grabbed control of the game with an 8-1 run to the half. Fries scored off a Griffith pass in the midst of the Elizabethtown run, but the hosts controlled the midfield and were able to turn away the Eastern attack before it was able to develop.

Elizabethtown took the 13-5 lead into the break. They held a 21-8 shot advantage and forced the Eagles into 16 first half turnovers.

After Elizabethtown scored the first four goals of the second half, the Eagles were able to solve the Blue Jay pressure with more regularity. Basch scored on a free position and set up three more goals to help the Eagles close the gap. Fries finished with three goals and Griffith and Choquette each had two goals and an assist. Basch finished with a goal and four assists.

Foley became Elizabethtown's all time leading scorer with her eight point effort today. Eastern Head Coach Camrin Azzarano complimented Foley saying, "She is very good, we slowed her down early, but she found a little bit of room and made us pay." Azzarano continued, "When we were able to get through their midfield and settle into our offense, we were able to create good chances for goals."

The Eagles return to action next Saturday at Montclair State.

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