BALTIMORE - Grace Griffith broke an 11-11 tie with 1:36 remaining with her team-leading fourth goal of the game to lead visiting Eastern to a 12-11 Pennsylvania Athletic Conference women's lacrosse victory over College of Notre Dame Saturday afternoon. The Eagles improve to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in PAC play with the win, while the Gators fall to 4-4 and 2-3, respectively, with the loss. Three-time reigning PAC Player of the Week Annie Shippen (Mount Airy, MD/Glenelg Country Day) led Notre Dame with a game-high five goals in the losing effort.

The Eagles jumped out to a 4-1 lead over the opening 8:21 of the game, taking advantage of a slow Gators start. However, Notre Dame pulled within one goal when senior Tina Money (Shady Side, MD/Queen Anne's County) and Shippen scored ten seconds apart from each other with 7:28 left in the first half. Eastern responded with two goals before Shippen scored the final goal of the half, making the score 6-4 at the break.

Money was able to score the first goal of the second half for Notre Dame to make the score 6-5, but Eastern rattled off three scores in a row to make the contest 9-5. Shippen pulled within 9-7 on two more goals by Shippen over a 33 second span. The Eagles followed by scoring two of the next three goals of the game, with a goal by Notre Dame's Amelia Yatto (Crofton, MD/St. Mary's) sandwiched in between to make the score 11-8.

With 4:20 left in the game, the Gators scored three straight goals over a 1:57 span to knot the game at 11 on scores by sophomore Lauren Terry (Towson, MD/Catholic), Money and Shippen. However, Eastern won the draw and drove down the field, as Griffith was able to score the game-winning goal with 1:36 left on the clock.

Eastern once again took control of the draw after Griffith's goal, and was able to maintain possession until a turnover was forced with 15 seconds left in the game. Notre Dame took the ball all the way down to Eastern's defensive end, but was not able to get a shot off before the final horn.

Money finished with three goals and an assists for Notre Dame, while Terry had two goals and two draw controls. In addition to her five goals, Shippen totaled four ground balls and two draw controls. Yatto also finished with a goal and three draw controls.

Erin Reimel had three goals for Eastern, while Jessie Basch added two goals. Six players recorded at least one goal for the Eagles in the game.

Kimberly Campbell made 13 saves and picked up six ground balls to earn the win in net for Eastern, while Amanda Arkwright (North Kingston, RI/North Kingston) made six saves and had five ground balls for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame will travel to Immaculata on Tuesday for a 4:00 p.m. PAC game.

2008-04-05