COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – A balanced offensive attack and a big run to start the second half provided the Ursinus College women's lacrosse team with just enough ammunition to outlast Cabrini, 15-13, in the season opener Wednesday at Patterson Field.
Sophomores Abby Goldstein and Emily DiGiorgio and freshman Haley O'Malley each registered a hat trick as the Bears took down the five-time defending CSAC champion Cavaliers in the lid-lifter for a second consecutive year. Junior Franny Liberatoscioli joined sophomore Kaci McNeave with two goals and teamed with sophomore Bridget Sherry to anchor a defensive unit that improved significantly after falling behind 10-8 at halftime.
A five-goal spurt right out of intermission was the final lead change in a see-saw battle full of big runs and momentum changes. O'Malley cut the deficit in half just 14 seconds after the break, taking a pass from Sherry and using a spin move to create space for a bouncing shot. Just over a minute later, Sherry got behind the Cabrini back line and finished a feed from McNeave to level the contest at 10 before Goldstein took over.
The sophomore had a hand in the next three markers for the Bears, first getting free at the right post and utilizing a shot fake before firing past Cavaliers keeper Megan Barlow to give the home side the lead for good at the 25:18 mark. Next, she set up behind the net and lobbed a pass to DiGiorgio in front of the cage for a two-goal lead, then capped the run – and her hat trick – on a helper from DiGiorgio with 22:14 to play. Both of Goldstein's hat tricks in her career have come in season openers against Cabrini.
The Cavaliers, who reached the NCAA Tournament second round a year ago and brought back the majority of that squad, made another push, netting two goals in a 16-second span to get within 13-12 with 18:36 to go. Exactly ten minutes later, O'Malley polished off her spectacular collegiate debut with a free-position goal to make it 14-12, and Jackie Neary answered with one of her own at the 5:18 mark.
DiGiorgio provided the dagger, taking a perfect pass from Goldstein in transition and flying in alone for a goal with 2:38 to play, clinching her third career hat trick. Sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn France made a big save 15 seconds later, and the Bears were able to run off the rest of the clock.
O'Malley and Goldstein each handed out two assists for matching five-point afternoons, while DiGiorgio added an assist to her hat trick. Sherry finished with a goal and two assists.
Liberatoscioli was all over the field, racking up game and career highs of seven draw controls, five ground balls, and four caused turnovers. Sherry equaled her with four caused turnovers and scooped up four ground balls, and senior Lisa Grous controlled five draws for the Bears.
France finished with six saves after replacing junior Meaghan Corbin at halftime, picking up her first career win. After surrendering ten goals in the first frame, the Bears allowed only three in the second. Freshman Julia Gilpin started on defense in her first collegiate game.
Neary and Liz Hoeffner had three goals each for Cabrini, which got two goals and two assists from Avery Murphy.
The first half was a roller-coaster. Ursinus jumped out to a 4-1 lead on goals by Liberatoscioli, senior Amy Kohout, O'Malley, and DiGiorgio, and led 5-2 when Goldstein took a feed from Grous and fired into a wide-open net. The Cavaliers reeled off six straight markers to go in front 8-5 at the 4:14 mark, only for Ursinus to net three in a span of 34 seconds – two of them off the stick of McNeave and the other a free-position strike from Liberatoscioli – to knot the game at 8. Cabrini tallied twice in the final 1:36 to take a two-goal advantage into the break.
One home victory under their belts, the Bears will go for another on Saturday when Albright comes to town for a 1 p.m. showdown.
