Box Score BELMONT, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's lacrosse team traveled to take on former Conference Carolinas foe Belmont Abbey College for a non-conference game falling 14-12 to the Crusaders. The Royals now hold a 3-2 overall record, while Belmont Abbey improves to 3-1.
Carrying a 9-7 lead into the second half, the Crusaders increased their lead to four early in the second putting the Royals in a hole that would be difficult to climb out of.
Abigail Paulus totaled four points today with a hat trick and one assists, while
Kelly Dowd,
Gabby Farina,
Caity Hamilton, and
Maggie Masters each added two goals. Dowd also led in ground balls with four, while she and Hamilton tied for three draw controls apiece.
Danielle Horoschak took the loss in the net after recording two saves.
The Royals quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead in today's game on goals from Masters and
Brittany Larranaga. However, the Crusaders would have things knotted at 2-2 before 10 minutes of play had passed. Over the next five minutes Queens outscored Belmont Abbey 3-1 to move ahead 5-3, but a 4-0 push by the Crusaders would follow allowing them to take a 7-5 lead. Queens would tie the game for the third time at 7-7 in the final five minutes of the half, but a 2-0 spurt by the Crusaders at the close gave the home team a 9-7 advantage at the break.
After falling behind by four following two early goals scored by the Crusaders in the second period, Masters and Dowd would score back-to-back goals to help Queens pull within two once again with 13:17 to play. A pair of goals by Katy Connery and Rebecca Luca over the next six minutes would help secure the upset win for Belmont Abbey as the Royals tried to make a final push to overcome the deficit. A goal at 5:12 by Queens' Paulus would breathe some life into a possible Queens comeback, but the team wouldn't be able to find another until nine seconds remained on the clock.
Queens outshot the Crusaders 26-19, but lost the battle for ground balls, 26-19, and the battle for draw controls, 16-12.
The Crusaders were led by Connery who finished with five goals to lead all players on the field. Four others notched two goals apiece. Reilly Johnson finished with the win in the cage after totaling 10 saves.
Queens is back in action on Sunday, March 8 at the University of Tampa. The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The Royals will then take on Florida Southern College on March 10 at 4 p.m. before returning home for back-to-back games at Dickson Field on March 13 and 14.
