Queens Can't Keep Pace with Merrimack

SHIRLEY, N.Y. -- A 19-save effort from sophomore goalkeeper Kahli Evans and two-goal performances by Sarah Boucher and Heather Rosen were not enough Friday afternoon at Golden Lions Field, as the Queens College women's lacrosse team (1-1) fell to Merrimack (1-0) by a 19-5 decision.

Rosen added two draw controls and as many ground balls for the Knights, while Kayleen Kelty netted one tally. Meghan Monahan registered one assist for Queens, which was outshot by a 46-23 count and fell victim both to a 2 for 10 performance on free-position shots and a 14 for 36 display in clearing the ball.

The Warriors received five-goal outputs from Mary Pasquantonio (2 a, 5 gb, 5 dc, 2 ct), Colleen Strachan (4 gb, 2 dc, 2 ct) and Alicia Tinsley (1 a). Maria DeStefano also netted a pair of goals for Merrimack, while freshman goalie Inna Hedden turned aside seven Queens shots.

Pasquantonio scored twice in the first three-plus minutes of the contest, starting a 6-0 dash for the Warriors to open the contest. Rosen scored her two goals at the 18:32 and 14:46 marks, respectively, before Boucher fired home a free-position effort to pull the Knights within a 6-3 margin with 10:37 left in the first half. Tinsley then scored three goals within a 2:39 span, pushing Merrimack's lead back to six (9-3) by halftime.

Boucher scored 2:52 into the second half, before Kelty's tally cut the Queens deficit to 9-5 and prompted a Warriors time-out with 22:06 remaining. However, Merrimack held the Knights scoreless the rest of the way, and scored the final 10 goals of the match to seal a victory in its season opener.

Head coach Kerry Hausdorf's Queens side is back in action Sunday (March 6), when it travels to Willimantic, Conn., for a neutral-site contest against Fort Lewis at 1:00 p.m.

2011-03-04