Gators’ Opener Spoiled by Buffalo State

Mar 14, 2007

Box Score

MEADVILLE, Pa. – Playing its first game on the newly renovated Frank B. Fuhrer Field, the Allegheny College women’s lacrosse team was hoping to pick up a win over visiting Buffalo State University, but the Gators were thwarted in their opening game, falling to a high-powered Bengal offense 20-11 on Wednesday evening.

Allegheny (0-1) received most of its offensive production from two of its leading scorers from last season. Junior Ashley Hughes (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), right, picked up where she left off 2006 by netting three goals and dishing out four assists for a team-high seven points, while fellow classmate Laura Hoch (Moon Township, Pa./Sewickley Academy) notched a team-high four goals and one assist. The four helpers for Hughes pushes the Gator junior to the top of Allegheny's all-time list as she now owns 30 assists in her career, one better than 2005 graduate Ashley Lemmon.

The Gators received a quick wake-up call from Buffalo State (0-1), who avenged a 9-8 overtime loss to Allegheny last season. The Bengals ripped off five unanswered goals in the first eight minutes, with three of those scores coming via Shantel Ackley. After Hughes put the Gators on the board at 20:29, Buffalo State quickly added two more to take a 7-1 lead just under 13 minutes in.

Allegheny scored three of the next four goals, including two by Hoch, to narrow the margin to 8-4, but the visitors reeled off the remaining seven scores of the half to take a sizeable 15-4 lead.

Buffalo State scored three of the first four goals of the final stanza to up the advantage to 18-5 at 22:01. The Gators did make a respectable comeback, netting six of the final eight goals, including the first career scores for freshmen Emily Hoar (New London, N.H./Kimball Union Academy), Christina Zanic (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair), and Meg Grossman (Lexington, Ky./Sayre School), pictured at the left.

The Bengals held a decisive advantage in the shooting department, out-gunning the hosts 37-22, while also forcing Allegheny into 26 turnovers. Ackley led the way for Buffalo State with a game-high five goals, while Stephanie Georgopolous notched four scores and two helpers.

All four goalkeepers received ample playing time in the game, with Buffalo State’s Katie Rivers picking up the win after working 34:08 in goal and logging three saves. Junior Lesley Stange (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) took the loss for the hosts, playing nearly 50 minutes between the pipes and making six saves.

Allegheny will aim to get back on track on its spring trip to West Palm Beach, Fla., on March 19-22. The Gators play three contests over that span, beginning with Plymouth State University on March 19 at 9 a.m.

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