Coming off a strong overtime victory against 13th-ranked Catholic University, Elizabethtown College’s women’s lacrosse team suffered a tough loss to Washington College, 15-10. Sophomore Andrea Russo and senior Becky Porter both scored hat tricks for the Jays.
Through snow and sleet, Etownshowed resilience and victory against Catholic at Wolf Field on Saturday, March 16. The game showcased a tough following on both sides in terms of back to back scores and performances from players sophomore Leigh Flounlacker, Porter and Catholic’s Madeline Nowakowski and Nicole Laitner.
The game got off to an intense start, with a concentration on both ends and a draw control by first-year Kelly Pool. After a shot by Porter was saved by Catholic’s Tricia Pehnke, senior Maddy Jackson picked up the ground ball and scored the first goal for the Blue Jays.
Throughout the first half, both teams scored back to back, with good defense surrounding the goalies and Catholic’s swift pressure on players. Catholic’s Lindsay Brophy scored one goal and had one shot. For the Jays, Porter assisted Flounlacker and Etown was in the lead again. The final score for the first half left Catholic up 6-5 after senior Emily Butler, junior Michele Grosso and Flounlacker all scored. The elements were an issue as both teams frequently slipped on the turf.
The audience peered underneath their umbrellas and ponchos, as the sleet fell heavily on the field. Many voices rang out in unison, from the frustrations among the bleachers and the calls for attention to other players and their teammates.
In the second half, the Cardinals picked up four yellow cards and the Jays had one. The Jays substituted a couple of players following swift ground ball pickups by the Cardinals. Throughout many possession changes, sophomore Caitlin Knight was assisted by Porter, scoring the first goal of the second half for the Jays while Catholic’s shots were saved by the Jays’ senior Rachael Waldman. Blue Jays’ key player Flounlacker assisted Porter for two goals in the half, meanwhile leading the stats with two free position shots, and ten points overall for the team. Her points from this game register as the fourth most in any single game in the program’s history. At the end of regulation, the game was tied 12-12.
In the first half of the first overtime period, Catholic grabbed the lead, but another goal by Flounlacker in the second half of that period sent the game to another overtime period. With 29 seconds left in the game, senior Emily Butler assisted Flounlacker for the game-winning goal. The final score was 14-13. Junior Shelby Bruno finished the game in goal for the Blue Jays.
On the Jays’ performance and strategy against Catholic University, Flounlacker said, “We knew going into Saturday it was going to be a tough game because Catholic is very good. We really just tried to play our game and focus on making smart decisions, so as to not give Catholic as many turnovers, so they didn’t get easy opportunities to score.”
The game saw the Jays battling against Catholic’s swift interception and passes, as well as the Cardinals’ strong cutting despite the weather. However, Catholic possessed an overall 22 turnovers, a contrast to the Blue Jays’ 26.
The team also showed improvements with their defense over spring break, which was tested with their game against Sewanee in Myrtle Beach on Saturday, March 9. The 19-11 win showed the team’s push in allowing room for goals made by players Grosso, first-year Gabby Genuario, Knight, Porter and junior Katie Reeb, each with three goals and Grosso with four to lead the score. The offensive strategy with Jackson taking the lead, four groundballs each by Knight and senior Alexis Morris and Waldman’s 11 saves showed the team’s bounce from Sewanee’s previous lead in clearing attempts.
With a good start in the season, Porter spoke of the team’s concentration of playing as a true unit and the importance of trust and keeping a level head. “Throughout the game we all really tried to not allow the dramatics of the game to get into our heads … Over spring break we really came together as a team and that translated over to our play,” Porter said.
With a new outlook on seeing more than the scoreboard and the necessity of a strong defense, the team moves forward to games against Amherst College March 21. Flounlacker has faith for the future: “Everyone on the team is just so proud of each other and I think we proved to ourselves and everyone else that, through all the adversity we’ve seen so far this season, we can still have the potential to be a powerhouse program.”