SPARKS, Md. – After more than two weeks without a game, the No. 20-ranked Pace University women's lacrosse team showed no signs of rust on Sunday, dropping No. 12 Grand Valley State University by a score of 14-9 at US Lacrosse Stadium's Tierney Field.
FIRST HALF
- It took nearly eight minutes before either team could score, but sophomore
Courtney Pabst (East Patchogue, NY/Bellport) got things going at the 22:09 mark to put the Setters on top, 1-0.
- Grand Valley State quickly tied the game, but junior
Abby Haimson (Montville, NJ/Montville) fired back just 38 seconds later to put Pace back in the lead.
- Haimson's goal was the first of three in a row for Pace, as juniors
Casey Gelderman (Farmingville, NY/Sachem High School East) and
Emily Ankabrandt (Scotia, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) each got one past the keeper to make it a 4-1 lead for the Setters.
- The Lakers got another quick one from Meghan Datema on a free position attempt to make it a two-goal game with 10:15 left until halftime.
- Pace then rallied to net the final four goals of the half to take an impressive 8-2 advantage into the locker room.
SECOND HALF
- Pace turned its four-goal run at the end of the first into a seven-goal stretch, netting three in a row in the first five minutes of the second frame to take an 11-2 edge.
- Grand Valley State's Meggan Loyd added a free-position goal to make it 11-3, but Pace scored the next three, including Gelderman's fourth and fifth of the game, to take an 11-goal lead.
- The Lakers found a rhythm, and over the final 12 minutes of the game, they scored six straight goals to get back within five, but the Setters managed to hold on late to pick up a big win.
SETTER STATS
- Gelderman led all scorers with five goals, while also scooping up a team-high six ground balls, grabbing three draw controls and causing a turnover.
- Haimson tallied four points with two goals and two assists, while also picking up a ground ball and causing a turnover.
- Pabst and junior
Makayla McDermott (Greenlawn, NY/Elwood-John Glenn) had matching three-point games, scoring twice apiece with each dishing out an assist. Pabst also led the Setters with four draw controls.
- Ankabrandt also scored two goals for Pace and added three draw controls and two ground balls.
- Junior goalkeeper
Alissa Silvestri (Congers, NY/Clarkstown North) improved to 1-1 after making eight saves for the win. She also grabbed two ground balls.
LAKER LEADERS
- Kira Dosenberry scored three goals to lead the Lakers on Sunday, adding team-highs with four ground balls and two caused turnovers.
- Datema scored twice, while Loyd matched her two points with a goal and an assist.
HOW'D THEY STACK UP
- The Setters fired off 35 shots, while holding the Lakers to 19 attempts.
- Pace also held a 19-12 lead in ground balls, and a slight 13-12 edge in draw controls.
RECORDS
#20 Pace: 1-1
#12 Grand Valley State: 1-4
WHAT'S NEXT?
- Pace faces another tough opponent on Tuesday, March 14, when they take on the University of Indianapolis in another matchup at US Lacrosse Stadium. The opening draw is currently set for 3 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).
