Brooklyn, N.Y. – The Long Island University women's lacrosse team fell to Iona, 20-13, on Tuesday afternoon at LIU Field. The Blackbirds held a 7-6 lead in the first half, but a 13-2 run spanning both halves provided the Gaels with the winning margin. Junior Christie Wienckowski (Newton Square, Pa.) led the LIU attack with four goals and an assist.

Long Island (2-5) fell behind 2-0 in the opening 1:46, but responded with three straight goals to take an early lead. Wienckowski opened the rally and freshman Claire Ranney (Jarrettsville, Md.) and sophomore Sara LaNoir (Queensbury, N.Y.) followed with tallies to give LIU a 3-2 lead. The Gaels followed with three consecutive goals before freshman Ashley Prizio (Brookfield, Conn.) took a feed from Wienckowski to cut the Iona lead to 5-4.

Iona (2-6) got a goal from Jillian Beck to build a two-goal cushion before markers by Prizio, Wienckowski and Ranney gave the lead back to LIU at 7-6. That was the Blackbirds' last lead, however as Iona rattled off three straight scores before junior Jillian Maricondo (Levittown, N.Y.) made it 9-8. The Gaels notched a score with 15 seconds left in the half to go ahead 10-8.

Following an Iona goal to open the second half, LaNoir scored to bring LIU back within 11-9, but that was as close as it got the rest of the way as the Gaels responded with eight unanswered goals to build a 19-9 lead. Ranney ended the run with her third goal of the day, followed free position goals from junior Jenna Schauder (Jackson, N.J.) and Wienckowski, but it was not enough. Hannah Bordner tacked on a goal for Iona, before Wienckowski scored just before the final whistle to make it 20-13.

In addition to her five points Wienckowski picked up five draw controls, while Ranney added three goals, while LaNoir and Prizio each had two. Freshmen Jacqueline Simonian (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Amber Meek (Woodbridge, Va.) combined to make 14 saves in goal for LIU.

Caitlyn Collins led Iona with six points on five goals and an assist, while Christie Godlewski added five goals and Elizabeth Coholan scored three times with an assist.

Long Island returns to action on Friday, March 27, with a 4:00 p.m. Northeast Conference matchup at Sacred Heart.

2009-03-24