NEW ROCHELLE, NY- The Iona College women’s lacrosse team defeated Lafayette College 13-12 Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at Mazzella Field. With the victory, the Gaels move to 7-9 on the 2015 campaign. Before the game, the team celebrated the program’s four seniors: Casey Palmer, Blaire Nathanson, and captains Bernadette Gennaro and Meghan Testoni.
Junior Anna Kelly led the way for the Maroon & Gold with five goals on the afternoon. Sophomore Erin Pugh added four more, and junior Mary Kate McCormick tallied three goals and an assist to cap off her four point afternoon. Sophomore Rachelle Serafini added the last Iona tally. Senior goalkeeper Blaire Nathanson recorded 15 saves, her second highest mark this season. She stopped 17 shots earlier this season against Temple.
Iona quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 10 minutes of play with goals from Pugh and Kelly. Lafayette’s Amanda Case got the Leopards on the board with her 32nd goal of the season to break the Gaels 3-0 run. a 4-0 Iona run over eight minutes opened the lead to 7-1 with 8:02 remaining in the first half. Lafayette ended the half on a 3-0 scoring run to bring the acre to 7-4 as the teams headed for the locker room.
Iona got two of those goals back as the second half opened with Pugh’s fourth goal of the game and McCormick’s 28th of the season. Lafayette didn’t go away quietly, scoring five unanswered goals to even the score at nine with 9:53 to play. McCormick and Kelly scored less than two minutes apart to take an 11-9 lead before Lafayette quickly answered to even the score back up at 11 with 5:45 to play in regulation.
In the first overtime period, Kelly scored the lone goal to take a 12-11 lead heading into the second overtime period. Lafayette’s Maggie Carver scored to even things up at 12 with 2:03 to play. Kelly put her fifth of the game in the back of the net to take a 13-12 lead with 23 seconds remaining. The Gaels won the ensuing face-off to hold on for the gutsy victory on senior day.
The Gaels conclude the regular season on Wednesday, April 22 when they play host to Monmouth. Opening draw is slated for 3:00pm at Mazzella Field.