Swarthmore Storms Back to Defeat Mules
ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- The Swarthmore women's lacrosse team kept its Centennial playoff hopes alive Saturday afternoon, rallying from a six-goal second-half deficit to stun hometown Muhlenberg 14-13 in Centennial action Saturday afternoon.
The Mules (8-5 overall, 2-5 CC) assumed a commanding 13-7 lead with 14:18 left in the game after Sara Hiller scored her third goal of the day. Garnet junior midfielder Megan Sanborn controlled the next draw and sophomore Marissa Schaffer converted a free-position opportunity at 13:38. Sanborn picked up another draw control but the Mules took possession a minute later. Swarthmore goalie Susannah Blair saved a shot by Muhlenberg's Ruth Morrongiello at 11:07 and Garnet senior attack Athena Samaras eventually finished off a feed from classmate Katie Crawford at 10:14 to make it 13-9 Mules.
Muhlenberg burned a time-out and won the next draw control, but Garnet sophomore defender Melissa Grigsby controlled a Mules' turnover and brought the ball into the offensive zone finding freshman Abbe Muller for her 16th goal of the season at 8:45. Swarthmore got within 13-11 when Schaffer finished off her second consecutive hat-trick with her team-leading 36th goal off a pass from senior midfielder Lindsay Roth with six minutes remaining.
Swarthmore senior defender Paige Gentry controlled the draw and fleet-footed midfielder Alex Gilbert-Bono '10 scored 25 seconds later off a feed from Grigsby. Gilbert-Bono stamped her name all over the game-tying score, claiming the draw control and converting a free-position attempt for her third score of the afternoon with 4:21 left in regulation.
Muhlenberg had a free-position chance with 4:08 left, but Blair turned away Miller to preserve the tie. The Mules' Danielle Scarrone challenged Blair two minutes later but the Swarthmore net-minder stood tall. The Garnet picked up the loose ball and got it in the pocket of two-time All-Centennial performer Roth, who put home the game-winner with 2:36 showing on the clock.
Blair came up with one final save, denying Taylor Armstrong with 1:23 left, finishing with a total of 11 stops on the afternoon. Her Muhlenberg counterpart, Caroline Shadood, made 14 saves as the Garnet held a slight 35-30 edge in shots. Swarthmore controlled 18 draws to the Mules' 11 while the hometown gathered more ground balls (26-20).
Roth finished the afternoon with four goals, giving her 19 on the year and 10 in the last three games alone.
The Garnet (9-6 overall, 2-4 CC) are in sixth place in the Centennial standings (top five make playoffs), one game behind McDaniel for the final spot.
Swarthmore plays on the road for the final time in the 2007 regular season, traveling to Bryn Mawr on Tuesday, April 17 for a 4:30 p.m. game.