BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The Pace University women's lacrosse team opened the 2017 campaign with a tough task, visiting No. 4-ranked LIU Post at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium on Saturday. The Setters fell to the Pioneers by a score of 15-8 after the home team made a big push later in the second half.
 
FIRST HALF
- Junior Casey Gelderman (Farmingville, NY/Sachem High School East) got 2017 off to a hot start, scoring just 32 seconds into the game off a feed from sophomore Courtney Pabst (East Patchogue, NY/Bellport) to give the Setters a quick 1-0 lead.
- After LIU Post scored the next two, juniors Emily Ankabrandt (Scotia, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) and Abby Haimson (Montville, NJ/Montville) scored less than two minutes apart from each other to give Pace a 3-2 lead at the 18:34 mark.
- The Pioneers once again scored two in a row to go back on top, but Haimson scored again to tie it up with 10:20 left in the half.
- The Pioneers closed out the first frame with three more goals, taking a 7-4 edge heading into the half.
 
SECOND HALF
- Junior Kylee Scott (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville) kicked off the scoring in the second half, followed by Pabst a few minutes later to draw within one.
- Haimson then scored her third of the game to tie things up at 7-7 with 17:52 on the clock.
- LIU Post then called a timeout, which seemed to make a big difference in the game, as the home team strung together six straight goals to take a six-goal advantage.
- Haimson tallied her fourth of the game with a minute left, and LIU Post answered with two more in the final minute for the 15-8 win.
 
SETTER STATS
- After leading the Setters in scoring a year ago, Haimson got right back to work with four goals in the Setters' opener.
- Pabst provided a goal and an assist for a two-point afternoon, also grabbing two draw controls and a ground ball.
- Gelderman, Scott and Ankabrandt picked up the other three scores for the Setters, while Ankabrandt scooped up a team-high three draw controls.
- Gelderman led the team with three ground balls and added two draw controls.
- Junior goalkeeper Alissa Silvestri (Congers, NY/Clarkstown North) falls to 0-1 after stopped eight shots in the loss.
 
PIONEER LEADERS
- Ryan McKinney led all scorers with six goals on the afternoon, while Connor Bird tallied four points on a hat trick and an assist.
- Stefani Vagelatos also had four points with two goals and two helpers.
- Bird picked up a game-high seven draw controls, and matched Cara Douglas for a team-best three ground balls.
- Douglas led all players with two caused turnovers.
- Goalkeeper Olivia Kirk made eight saves in the winning effort.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
- The Setters take nearly two weeks off before getting back to work on Friday, March 10, in their home opener at Pace Stadium against Queens College. The opening draw is set for 6 p.m.
 
For all information regarding Pace University women's lacrosse, log on to www.PaceUAthletics.com, follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics), and follow the women's lacrosse team on Twitter (@PaceWLax) and Instagram (@PaceWLax).
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