Gators Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

Apr 21, 2007

Box Score
Photogallery

MEADVILLE, Pa. – It was a must-win situation for the Allegheny College women’s lacrosse team against Oberlin College and the Gators delivered, posting its second-highest goal total of the season in a 17-13 victory at Frank B. Fuhrer Field on Saturday. With the win, Allegheny (3-8, 1-3 NCAC) remains in the playoff hunt for the fourth seed in the upcoming North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, just one-half game behind fourth-place Kenyon College (6-6, 2-3 NCAC).

After being held to less than 10 goals during its recent six-game losing streak, the Gators jumped all over the Oberlin (6-5, 1-3 NCAC) defense, pouring in nine first-half scores alone to grab a one-goal lead at the break. Five Allegheny players found the back of the net in the opening period, with four scoring a pair. Michelle Dudevoir (West Point, N.Y./O’Neill), Christina Zanic (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair), Meg Grossman (Lexington, Ky./Sayre School), and Ashley Hughes (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) each lit the lamp twice, while goalkeeper Lesley Stange (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) stopped eight point-blank Yeowomen shots.

The final period went back-and-forth as Oberlin opened with the first two goals to take its second lead of the game at 10-9, only to see Allegheny respond with a three-goal run, capped by back-to-back scores by Dudevoir to regain the advantage 12-10. The Yeowomen knotted the game for the final time as Lela Hull threw in a goal and followed a short time later with an assist to Emma Edmondson at 10:54.

That set the stage for Zanic as the Gator first year recorded three unassisted goals from 8:52 to 7:07, the last giving the hosts a 15-12 lead. Following an Oberlin goal by Scarlett Prati, Dudevoir and Laura Hoch (Moon Township, Pa./Sewickley Academy) sealed the victory with the final two scores of the contest.

Both Zanic and Dudevoir notched five goals, the latter adding two assists for a team-high seven points. Hughes added a hat trick and one assist, giving the Gator junior a team-high 32 points this spring and putting her into a tie with Eleni Kacoyianni for second on Allegheny’s all-time scoring list with 119 career points.

Hoch tacked on two goals and one assist, while Grossman finished with two goals, three ground balls, two caused turnovers, and five draw controls. Sophomore defender Katie Murphy (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) played a key role in the Gators’ 14-for-16 day on clears, even picking up her first career assist in the second period.

Stange posted a season-high 14 saves for the hosts, while her counterpart in the Oberlin goal, Kira Thorien, came up with 16 stops.

Hull led Oberlin with four goals and one assist, as well as tallying five draw controls. Dana Rich and Prati each notched a hat trick.

Allegheny resumes play on Tuesday, April 24, when it travels league-leading College of Wooster (8-3, 4-0 NCAC), who beat Kenyon 13-12 in overtime on Saturday (April 21). Tuesday’s game is slated for 4:30 p.m. in Wooster, Ohio.

Printable Version