Links: Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's lacrosse team was on the cusp of a second half comeback Wednesday afternoon at Kuzniewski Field, before Holy Cross pulled free for a 19-12 victory.
After the Warriors trailed by five at the halftime break, Merrimack came to within a pair on two occasions in the closing half hour, but the Crusaders shook free in the closing 10 minutes to notch the non-conference win.
Meghan Dzialo continued her sensational senior season for the Warriors. She had a team-high five goals on the afternoon and was also a ball hawk all 60 minutes, as she finished with team-high totals in ground balls (4) and draw controls (7).
Ally DaCosta registered a goal and an assist on the day to put her at 200 points in her illustrious Warrior career. She's now alone at fourth all-time in career points at Merrimack.
The Basics
Score: Holy Cross 19,
Merrimack 12
Records: Merrimack (1-3, 1-1 NEC) | Holy Cross (2-1, 1-1 Patriot League)
How It Happened
- The opening 10 minutes belonged to the hosts, as the Crusaders ran out to an early 5-0 lead.
- Merrimack began to claw its way back just after the fifth tally. Dzialo took over the game for a 34-second stretch, as she fired home a pair of goals during that time, including a free position tally.
- The Warriors stayed red hot just 45 seconds after Dzialo's second marker, as Sophie Scearbo netted a goal on the woman up. Holy Cross turned momentum around in the eight minutes after, as it enjoyed a 3-0 run to push the lead to 8-3.
- Merrimack got back in it after that, as it scored the next two goals over a 4:48 span. DaCosta netted her first on the campaign, then a gorgeous tic-tac-toe sequence from Haley Bartlett to Natalie Calkins, then Dzialo brought the deficit back to three.
- Holy Cross had a pair of goals in the closing two minutes to grab a 10-5 edge after 30 minutes of play.
- The Crusaders extended their run to three just under two minutes into the second half, but then the Warriors put their foot on the gas. Taylor Darrell started the comeback when she made a quick cut inside, then rifled home a high shot.
- Dzialo scored her fourth a little over a minute later on a feed from Bartlett, then Bartlett made it three goals in as many minutes when she finished off a free position.
- Merrimack worked the deficit down to two at the 19:30 mark when Catherine Mahanna put her name on the scoresheet with her fourth of the season.
- The teams traded goals in the following three and a half minutes, as Calkins scored her first of the day on a pass from DaCosta to make it 12-10 with 15:14 to play.
- After that, the Crusaders looked to put the game away with a quick 2-0 run, but Dzialo finished her fifth of the day with 12:14 to play on a pass from Calkins to stop the bleeding.
- The hosts went on a 5-0 run during the final 10 minutes to seal the victory. Bartlett was able to claim her second goal of the day and fifth point with 12 seconds left on a free position.
Notes & Numbers
- Darrell's goal marked the 50th point of her Warrior career.
- Gabby Cacciola started the game in the cage and made four saves. Courtney Dishaw played the second half and made seven stops to mark a single game career-high.
- Olivia Valdes corralled six draw controls, which also set a single game career-high.
- Merrimack was in control in the middle of the field, as it had 19 draw controls compared to the Crusaders' 14. The Warriors also had an 11-5 margin in the first half in the category.
- Dzialo surpassed the 50-goal mark in her career during the game.
- Shots (MER-HC): 31-42 (23-30 SOG)
- Draw Controls (MER-HC): 19-14 Ground Balls (MER-HC): 19-26
- Turnovers (MER-HC): 19-15 // Clears (MER- HC): 14-19 // 21-26
Up Next
Merrimack returns to Duane Stadium Saturday to face NEC foe, Wagner. Draw control is set for 12:00 pm.
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