Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Manhattan women's lacrosse team began its longest road stretch of the season as they visited St. Joseph's on Saturday afternoon. A back and forth affair went the way of the Hawks as they scored the final two goals of the game for an 8-6 victory.
The Jaspers (1-4) fell behind early when Val Paolucci and Meghan McDevitt each found the net in the first six minutes of the contest. Manhattan would respond with three straight goals as freshman Megan Yarusso buried a feed from Clare Kerrisk at the 16:07 mark of the first half. Kerrisk would then be on the receiving end of a Kelsey Rehain pass two minutes later to knot things up at two apiece. The Jasper run would be capped by Domenica O'Brey, giving Manhattan their first lead of the game with 12:07 remaining in the first half.
St. Joseph's (5-1) found a way to counter as McDevitt scored two in a row over a span of 3:15 to give her team a 4-3 halftime lead. That margin could have been higher but the Jasper defense was able to withstand an aggressive attack. Sophomore goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli made seven of her twelve saves in the period.
Coming out of the locker room, the two teams continued to battle hard with neither squad willing to budge. Finally, Yarusso netted her second goal of the game off a free-position shot with 21:29 left in regulation, tying the score at 4-4. A free-position goal from Bianca Angstadt one minute later put the Hawks back on top. St. Joseph's would go up 6-4 when Julia Falcone beat Fiorinelli with 12:00 remaining.
Manhattan quickly answered, scoring twice in just 37 seconds to tie the contest yet again. Yarusso finished off a career day with her third point, an assist to Rehain at the 11:46 mark, only to be followed by Claire Roediger's unassisted goal with 11:07 remaining. Unfortunately for the Jaspers, that would be their last score of the game as Falcone and McDevitt both scored for the Hawks in the final ten minutes.
St. Joseph's outshot Manhattan as a team, 26-16, and forced 14 total turnovers while committing just seven of their own. The Hawks also won 10 of 16 draw controls and picked up 15 ground balls to the Jaspers 13. McDevitt led all players with a game high four goals, while Yarusso had a career best three points, including two goals, to pace Manhattan.
The Jaspers continue their three game road trip when they visit the Great Danes of Albany on Mon., March 11 for a 12 p.m. start.
