GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's lacrosse team opened Centennial Conference play with a 19-4 setback at second-ranked Gettysburg on Saturday afternoon.
Matched up with one of Division III's top three teams for the second time in as many games, Ursinus (3-5, 0-1) trailed just 3-2 after senior Lindsey Grabell converted a free-position attempt at the 16:48 mark of the first half. But the high-powered Bullets (8-0, 1-0) rang up the next 12 goals in a run spanning the halftime break and were not threatened again.
Caroline Jaeger and Courtney Patterson led the way with three goals each for No. 2 Gettysburg, which scored on 19 of its 24 shots. Though the Bears only committed seven turnovers, and none in the second half, the Bullets held an 18-7 advantage on the draw and connected on four of their five free-position tries.
Junior Franny Liberatoscioli scored twice for the Bears, who took on No. 3 TCNJ on Tuesday before their latest clash with a national powerhouse. Liberatoscioli's first marker cut the Orange and Blue's lead to 2-1 just over nine minutes in, and Grabell's free-position blast kept the margin there.
It was all Gettysburg from there on out, however. The Bullets put up six straight goals over the next nine minutes and change and expanded their lead to 15-2 on Rebekah Riley's free-position shot with 21:03 to play.
Freshman Haley O'Malley stopped the bleeding exactly two minutes later, and Liberatoscioli's second goal capped the Bears' scoring for the afternoon.
Emma Christie and Maggie Welsh each had two goals and an assist for Gettysburg, while Katie Landry dished out four assists in addition to a goal. Lauren Cole posted two goals.
Shannon Keeler (three saves) and Bailey Pilder (one) split the game in goal for the Bullets. Sophomore Kaitlyn France made three first-half saves for Ursinus, and junior Megan Corbin registered one in the second stanza.
Senior Lisa Grous collected a game-high four draw controls.
The Bears continue conference play at home against Swarthmore on Saturday, April 1.