TACOMA, Wash. - For the third game this season, Lilia Lee (Jr., Waimanalo, Hawaii) turned in a record performance to lead Pacific to victory as the Boxers posted a 19-18 win over Pomona-Pitzer Friday in women's lacrosse action at East Field.

Lee led Pacific (5-4) with seven goals and eight points, marking the third time this season that she has hit those milestones and tying her own single game records. Her last goal, with just under six minutes remaining, proved to be the game-winner and held off a rally in the waning minutes by the Sagehens (3-9).

Monica Smith (Fr., Wilsonville, Ore.) added four goals. Erin Bayne (Sr., Everett, Wash.) finished with three, Abby Coleman (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) and Savannah McClendon (Fr., Roseburg, Ore.) each had two and Christine Nishida (Jr., Kailua, Hawaii) had one.

Pomona-Pitzer's Martha Marich matched Lee with seven goals. Hannah T'Kindt finished with four and Brett Erspamer had three. The Sagehens outshot Pacific 41-31 and held a 15-8 advantage in ground balls. Pacific held a 22-16 edge in draw controls and proved more effective on the set shot, making 5 of 9 free position attempts.

The contest proved to be a game of runs. After Marich opened scoring three minutes in, McClendon sparked a four-goal streak that put Pacific ahead at the 23:38 mark. The Sagehens responded in kind, with two Marich goals and two McCulley strikes pacing a six-goal run that staked Pomona-Pitzer to a 7-4 advantage midway through the half.

After three scoreless minutes, Lee started a five-goal unanswered streak that put the Boxers back up 9-7. The two teams then traded goals until Nishida tallied with three seconds left to give Pacific a 12-9 halftime lead.

The Boxers and Sagehens traded goals for much of the second half, and a strike by Lee with 12:26 to go gave Pacific an apparent comfortable margin at 18-14.

The Sagehens, however, put together one last run at the victory. Erspamer opened the run with her unassisted goal at the 12:03 mark. Things were scoreless over the next four minutes before Marich's strike at the 8:25 mark started a flurry of three goals over the next minute. T'Kindt's goal with 7:21 to go tied things at 18-18.

Lee came up with her seventh goal of the day with 5:56 left, scoring off a Bayne assist. That proved to be the winner as the Boxers' defense held fast down the stretch.

Heidi Curry (Fr., San Diego, Calif.) earned the victory in goal as a substitute, making three saves over the final 7:20. Valerie Nelson (Sr., Coeur D'Alene, Idaho) made eight saves in the start. Pomona-Pitzer's Kristin Raphel made seven saves in the loss.

Pacific returns home on Sunday for one of two remaining home contests, hosting Dallas at 10:00 a.m.

2009-04-04