Box Score BUFFALO, NY – The Franciscan women's lacrosse team held off a late-game run by D'Youville Sunday afternoon to hang on for a 9-8 win in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference action.
Leading by one, 8-7, with less than five minutes to play, freshman Maria Hilkert gave the Lady Barons a two-goal cushion with her seventh goal of the season off an assist from junior Elizabeth McEntee. The extra goal proved necessary as D'Youville found the back of the net for the last time of the game with 2:30 to play to cut the Lady Baron lead down to 9-8. Senior Mary Krolicki won the ensuing draw control for Franciscan and got a shot off but was saved by the Spartan goalie. DYC completed a successful clear and got a shot off with 1:17 to play. Junior Brittany Bain made a big stop for the Lady Barons and kicked off a good clear for Franciscan. After a FUS turnover in its offensive third, the Spartans cleared the ball once again but the Franciscan defense did not allow D'Youville to get a shot off in the final 30 seconds to seal the win.
The Lady Barons raced out to a 4-1 lead in the first 25 minutes of the first half as Krolicki had a hand in all four Franciscan goals as she scored three and assisted the fourth. D'Youville closed out the half with a goal with 3:29 to play to cut the lead down to 4-2 at halftime.
Following the break, Krolicki scored an unassisted goal just 12 seconds into action to give Franciscan a 5-2 lead. D'Youville got the goal back just 21 seconds later to keep the gap at just two with most of the second half to play.
Junior Carly McDonald and McEntee scored back-to-back goals within 42 seconds of each other to push the Lady Baron lead back to four, 7-3, with 28:12 to play. D'Youville answered with their own two-goal run but McEntee halted the run with her second goal of the game to give Franciscan an 8-5 lead.
The Spartans scored back-to-back goals to cut the lead back to 8-7 to set up the impressive defensive stand by Franciscan in the final five minutes of action.
Krolicki led the Lady Barons with four goals and an assist while McEntee scored twice and handed out an assist. Krolicki won six draws for Franciscan and freshman Elizabeth Galaburri scooped up a team-best five ground balls.
Bain made 13 saves in net for the Lady Barons in route to her 11th career win.
The Lady Barons return to action on Tuesday as they travel to Westminster (Pa.) for a 6:30 pm non-conference contest.
