March 28, 2009
WASHINGTON - The American University women's lacrosse team took a 5-0 lead at Lafayette and held on to the lead late to record a 12-11 victory on the road. Amanda Makoid tallied three goals in the win while four other Eagles each scored twice.
Makoid scored the first two goals of the game, the second of which came off a free position shot, to give American a 2-0 lead just 1:23 into the game. Kira Sonberg added a goal off a feed from Makoid and was followed by two unassisted goals scored by Leslie Fischer as AU took a 5-0 lead with 20:43 remaining in the first half. Lafayette answered with back-to-back goals of its own to cut the lead to 5-2 but a Bernadette Maher free position goal ended the Leopards run and moved the score to 6-2.
Makoid's third goal of the half off a free position attempt with 16:22 to play made it a five-goal game again, 7-2. Brit Ferguson negatted a Lafayette goal off a feed from Anne Marie Person to make the score 8-3 as the Eagles took an 8-4 lead into the half.
Ferguson added her second goal of the game to begin the scoring in the second half off an assist from Lauren Schoenberger, giving American a 9-4 advantage. The Leopards however closed to within two, 9-7, on three unanswered goals with 20:37 remaining in the contest. It was Maher again who halted the Leopards run with her second free position goal of the game and a Person tally off a Sonberg assist pushed the score to 11-7 with 18:36 to play.
Sonberg answered a Lafayette goal with her second score of the day on a pass from Ferguson giving AU a 12-8 lead. The Leopards made a run down the stretch with three goals to cut American's lead to 12-11 with just over two minutes remaining. The Eagles defense held firm in the final minutes though and forced a turnover with 1:02 on the clock to secure the victory.
Makoid led all scorers with three goals and one assist for four points. Makoid also picked up two ground balls, the second of which came on Lafayette's final turnover of the game which gave American the win. Ferguson, Fischer, Maher and Sonberg each netted two goals on the day and Ferguson and Sonberg each added an assist. Maher and Whitney Kovar led the defensive unit with three ground balls apeice.
American will return home on Wednesday, April 1, against Navy at 3:30 p.m. in the first game of a six-game homestand to close out the season.