CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Superior efficiency and strong goaltending gave host Washington College the edge it needed to dispatch the Ursinus College women's lacrosse team in a Centennial Conference fray under the Wednesday night lights at Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium.
In a game whose box score showed fairly even statistics – many of them even tilted in the visitors' favor – Washington College (6-4, 1-1) kept the Bears at arm's length by scoring on 12 of their 15 shots on goal. Five different Shorewomen recorded multiple goals, led by three goals from Katherine Vincent and two goals and three assists from Alli Dudley, and Madeline Mullen made 11 saves to give the home side more than enough breathing room after a run late in the first half broke open a nip-and-tuck affair.
Senior Devin Brakel recorded her second hat-trick of the season and sophomore Franny Liberatoscioli notched her second career multi-goal effort for Ursinus (5-5, 1-2), which got the better of Washington College in a number of statistical categories but wound up on the short end of the only one that mattered. The Bears outdid the Shorewomen in shots (24-22) and ground balls (22-12) and forced 17 turnovers to 15 of their own, but Mullen's strong play prevented them from gaining the upper hand.
Ursinus trailed the whole way, but found itself down only 4-3 after a goal by sophomore Taylor DeBernardi with 8:27 left in the first half. But Washington College gained separation with three unanswered tallies heading into halftime, Dudley scoring one and setting up another, to go up 7-3 at the break.
The Bears never got closer than three the rest of the way, and every time they tried to rally, the Shorewomen had an answer.
When Liberatoscioli opened the second-half scoring to cut it to 7-4, Washington College came back with two goals of its own. When freshman Bridget Sherry retorted for the Bears just 13 seconds later, the hosts netted two more in a row. And when freshman Emily DiGiorgio scored unassisted to pull Ursinus within 11-6, Cara Pascarella had the answer for the Shorewomen.
Vincent added four draw controls to her hat-trick, while Carley Kendall produced two goals and two assists for Washington College. Madison Acra and Cecily Doktor registered two goals apiece.
Brakel was all over the field, collecting three ground balls, two draw controls, and two caused turnovers in an all-around effort. Sherry finished with two ground balls, three draw controls, and three caused turnovers to remain tied for the CC lead in that category, while junior Lisa Grous racked up four ground balls and three caused turnovers to go with three draws.
Liberatoscioli chipped in three ground balls and a draw control and scored two goals to double her previous season total. Senior Maragaret Philbin (3-5) came up with three saves for Ursinus.
The Bears dropped their fifth straight game to Washington College and remained winless in Chestertown since 2008.
Following losses to Dickinson, which entered the IWLCA national rankings this week, and a CC playoff team from a year ago in the Shorewomen, the Bears will look to get back on track with a home game against Bryn Mawr on Saturday, April 6.