he Elizabethtown College Blue Jays held out against Albright College this past Saturday on Wolf Field. The final score was 19-15, which was helped by sophomore Leigh Anne Flounlacker who set a career high by scoring eight goals in one game. Flounlacker now holds the first and second records for the most goals scored in a women’s lacrosse game for Etown. She scored twice within the first five minutes to start the game this past Saturday.
Albright showed a lot of willpower during the game, holding back the Jays for a while in the first half. The Lions’ Erin Farell started the assault, and Amanda Smith, who assisted Farell in scoring her third shot, played strong and came close to matching Flounlacker, scoring seven out of 10 shots on goal.
While Etown scored quickly during the beginning of the match, they didn’t keep up with Albright’s attack. The visitors scored frequently, pushing the Jays back. Eventually, however, the Jays were able to bounce back and turn the game around before the end of the first half. The score was left at 10-9 in favor of the Jays and this was made possible by the help of seniors Becky Porter and Emily Butler, who had strikes and goals. With a goal right before halftime, Flounlacker picked up another record, hitting her second season in a row, scoring 50 goals.
Returning for the second half, the Jays started off strong with Flounlacker scoring a free position goal within the first two minutes. She scored four more times and the Jays eventually pulled ahead for a 19-12 lead. Flounlacker ended sixth on the the College’s single season goal list with 54 goals in 11 games.
During the second half, sophomore Caitlin Knight and Porter also scored goals. Senior goalie Rachael Waldman was also a great help to the team by putting forth a phenomenal effort on the field. She made 13 saves, which marks one of her highs for the season.
The team worked hard defensively, holding back Albright in some tough situations. Senior and Etownian sports editor Alexis Morris had highs for the team, causing four turnovers and five groundballs. Morris was able to achieve a career high of 32 turnovers in one season which she had previously set in her first year and sophomore year.
The game ended with a score of 19-15 as visitor Rebecca Sartorio closed up the gap slightly with three more goals. Albright’s Farell and Smith provided volatile efforts during the game and were a big part of what helped the Jays pull ahead. Bari Rosenstein, junior midfielder, has great faith in her team. “I think our strongest attribute as a team is that we play for each other. If someone makes a mistake, we shake it off and learn from it. We constructively criticize each other and it makes us better. While the game was only won by a few goals, both teams played hard and the match was filled with energy,” Rosenstein said.
On Tuesday, April 23, Etown faced Alvernia University in another conference matchup. The Blue Jays, led offensively by Porter, Flounlacker and junior Michele Grosso, had a commanding 21-11 win over the Crusaders.
It is this kind of dedication that helped the women win this past Saturday. The team currently has eight wins and six losses for the season and continues to have high hopes. They have now moved ahead to tie with Lebanon Valley College for third place.
The team will move on to play Lebanon Valley April 27, which is sure to be a compelling match and will help decide the fate of the Jays. If the team continues to play with the spirit and dedication that they have showed recently, they are sure to win the rest of their games and advance well into playoffs.
