Links: Box Score
LORETTO, Pa. –
Taylor Darrell had a single game career-high four goals for the Merrimack College women's lacrosse team Saturday at DeGol Field, but Saint Francis came away with a 21-9 win.
Catherine Mahanna and
Meghan Dzialo also enjoyed multi-point days, as Mahanna had a goal and an assist and Dzialo netted a pair to push her team-leading total to 21 on the season.
Olivia Valdes completed her great week in the midfield and led Merrimack with seven draw controls for the second straight game.
The Basics
Score: Saint Francis 21,
Merrimack 9
Records: Merrimack (1-6, 1-4 NEC) | Saint Francis (3-4, 3-3 NEC)
How It Happened
- The hosts jumped out to an early 3-0 edge with goals in the opening three and a half minutes, but Dzialo put a stop to that with her first of the day at 25:31 on a great play with Mahanna.
- Ally DaCosta kept the momentum trending the right way for Merrimack a minute and a half later when she finished off a fast break on a great pass from Vicki Palmer.
- The Red Flash turned the tides for a 2-0 run in the following four minutes, but the Warriors got right back in the game.
- Olivia Valdes cut through the defense and scored with just under 18 minutes to go, then Darrell tallied a free position marker with 16:15 to play to bring the deficit to one.
- Saint Francis closed out the first half strong with a 4-0 run to claim a 9-4 lead at the break.
- The Red Flash extended the lead to start the second half, but Darrell kept her hot play going with a pair of great finishes in the following eight minutes, sandwiched by another Saint Francis tally.
- The hosts pulled away in the middle of the second half, but Dzialo had an incredible goal with 13:49 to play after Haley Bartlett made a heads up play to block down a clearing attempt before Dzialo scooped up the ball and scored.
- Both sides traded goals in the closing 13 minutes, including Darrell's fourth of the afternoon and Mahanna's first with just over three minutes to play.
Notes & Numbers
- Darrell is now just five goals away from 50 in her Merrimack career.
- Sam Preston made her second straight start in the cage and had six saves.
- Kelly Corrigan led the Warriors with one caused turnover. She also had a pair of ground balls.
- Shots (MER-SFU): 27-37 (18-27 SOG)
- Draw Controls (MER-SFU): 12-19 Ground Balls (MER-SFU): 11-12
- Turnovers (MER-SFU): 15-12 // Clears (MER-SFU): 17-22 // 18-18
Up Next
Merrimack hits the road Apr. 3 to Staten Island, N.Y. to take on Wagner. Draw control is slated for 1:00 pm.
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