Sports

No. 9 West Chester Knocks Off No. 1 LeMoyne, 15-12

The Golden Rams' lacrosse team knocks off the number one team in the nation.

The following is a press release from the West Chester University Athletic Department.

Tori Dugan scored four goals, including two of the last three, as ninth-ranked West Chester University upset top-ranked and previously undefeated LeMoyne, 15-12, on an unseasonably hot and humid Monday afternoon at Vonnie Gros Field.
 
With temperatures resembling those usually endured during the national semifinals in mid May, Monday’s non-league women’s lacrosse match had that championship atmosphere to it in more ways than one. The top-ranked LeMoyne Dolphins and No. 9 West Chester Golden Rams did not disappoint either.
 
With the contest knotted at 12-apiece with eight minutes remaining, Dugan took matters into her own hands, scoring twice during the Rams three-goal run that ended the game. Her final tally, a highlight reel, behind-the-back flick, was the nail in the coffin that delivered visiting LeMoyne (11-1) its first loss of the 2012 season.
 
West Chester (11-1) scored seven of the game’s final nine goals to help erase a two-goal deficit early in the second half. With the win, head coach Ginny Martino notched her 218th career win, breaking the NCAA Division II record established by former Millersville head coach Barb Waltman.
 
LeMoyne went on a four-goal run to open the second half and extinguish West Chester’s 8-6 halftime advantage. Brenna Bauer netted two of those tallies with Brittany Brigandi and Kelly Condon getting the others. Brigandi finished with a game-high five goals on the afternoon.
 
However, West Chester’s defense stiffened down the stretch and LeMoyne, who struggled to score goals out of its set offense all day, found the back of the net just twice more. Golden Rams goalkeeper Jess Henderson made a brilliant save off a free position attempt from Brigandi with 5:50 remaining that turned the momentum in the hosts’ favor.
 
Seven of LeMoyne’s 12 goals came off free positions. However, that save gave West Chester and its defense the spark for which it was looking.
 
Following LeMoyne’s four-goal spurt, MacKenzie O’Keefe pulled West Chester within one at 17:45 and then fed a wide open Dugan for the equalizer at 15:43. Jamie Dolan (2 goals) notched an unassisted tally at 14:23 to put West Chester in front 11-10.
 
The Dolphins’ Kathleen Conese scored her lone marker of the day at 11:34 to knot things up for the fifth time in the game. The Rams’ Theresa Giunta potted her only goal of the afternoon on a free position at 10:21, before Brigandi took a feed from Yaro off a free position at 8:49 to tie the game for the sixth and final time.
 
Henderson (11-1) finished the game with 12 saves, earning perhaps the biggest win of her college career. LeMoyne’s Kelly Fucillo made 13 saves in a losing effort.
 
Erin Oczkowski registered a hat trick for West Chester while Lauren Glassey notched two unassisted tallies in the first half. Jacki Patterson and Brittany Long scored West Chester’s other two goals.
 
Dugan finished the day with eight draw controls. Giunta secured another four as well.
 
Bauer also recorded a hat trick for the Dolphins. Gabrielle Kamide, Kelly Condon and Sam Yaro also scored for the visitors. Kamide registered seven draw controls for LeMoyne.
 
West Chester welcomes 10th-ranked and long-time PSAC rival Lock Haven to Vonnie Gros Field on Friday afternoon. The Golden Rams and Lady Eagles have met for the PSAC title in each of the last six years with each school winning three titles.


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