BROCKPORT, NY --- The Brockport Golden Eagles Women's Lacrosse team won their home opener against The Rochester Institute of Technology(RIT) 14-13. Cassidy Burnash set a career high in goals with six goals, all of them unassisted. Courtney Cunningham put together a second half hat trick along with a strong defensive performance including two caused turnovers and seven ground balls. Alayna Foos also posted a hat trick from the midfield, one caused turnover and four ground balls. Erin Lant played a majority of the game in net minute the first five minutes of the second half, she posted 8 saves on the day.
Brockport came out quick in the first quarter, at the hands of Cassidy Burnash, she notched two goals in the opening five minutes and Brockport looked dominant. RIT responded almost immediately following Burnash's second, then tied soon after. Clarissa Hlywa scored her first of four goals on the night from a free position shot. Alayna Foos scored the next goal on a free position shot for Brockport after taking a stick to the face-mask.
RIT answered right back again. First year Adele Jones coming past goal line extended from the X to perfectly find the bottom left corner. Before the end of the quarter Julia Quinlan found a point blank goal from first year Courtney Bednarz who sent in the perfect pass. As the second quarter started RIT answered and tied things up, Miriam Rigas scoring her first of the season.
Cassidy Burnash turned it up and found two more goals in the following three minutes and it caused RIT Head Coach Erin Wagner to call a timeout. Both of Burnash's goals came unassisted in open play and her second was a great one on one where she went to the crease. The Tigers came out of the timeout with an aggressive and dominant ride. RIT forced Brockport into a 50% clear percentage in the second quarter. The teams went into the half with Brockport up 6-4 but RIT had all the momentum.
First Year Hannah Parsons started in net for Brockport in the second half, she was scored on in 22 seconds. three more goals came for the Tigers in the ensuing four and a half minutes and Lant came back in net for the Golden Eagles. RIT Opened the second half and almost couldn't miss, going six for seven on shot for goals in the opening five and a half minutes.
Lant made the first save of the quarter and snapped Brcokport out of the poor run they fell into. Courtney Cunningham caused a turnover on the defensive end and ran the ball all the way into the offensive zone a few minutes later. Shot was knocked in the middle while going to goal and buried the free position shot.
Cassidy Burnash scored wearing number one after a first half jersey mishap, despite scoring the same number of goals that is normally on her back (five). Just over a minute later and Paige Thowe scored her first collegiate goal as it was her first time playing offense for the Golden Eagles. Foos followed with an assisted goal from Thowe with 2:17 left in the quarter and the game was tied at 10-10. Thirty seconds later Zoe Heffernan finished her hat trick and scored the last goal of the quarter.
Rochester came out in the fourth quarter and continued their mid game dominance, winning the draw control and keeping possession in the offensive zone. Brockport was able to make that a shot clock violation and a successful clear led to Bednarz at X waiting to create a staple goal of the Brockport women's lacrosse team. Straight out of practice, sails it over the back of the net and into the stick of a wide open Cunningham. She took the ball right in on Michelle Messenger for the point blank goal to tie it.
Courtney Cunningham finished here hat trick in style created a goal entirely for herself yet again The lead was short lived as Baylee West notched a goal off a good feed from Jones. Neither team was willing to give an inch tied at 12-12.
Alayna Foos finished her hat trick in the fourth quarter, driving in from the point to take a 13-12 lead over the tigers. Moments later RIT set up for the free position shot and Heffernan hit one on the post. The ball rolled all the way to the restraining line and Burnash scooped up the ground ball. Burnash traversed the whole field, went past goal line extended, froze two defenders and scored her sixth goal of the game. A sock trick.
That was Brockport's last goal of the game. Hlywa made her tally four on the day to bring things within one goal just thirty seconds later. Coach Glasser was able to call the timeout and settle her team in the clutch time to hold out for their first win. It was Coach Glasser's first career win as a head coach.
Brockport will next host William Smith on March 8th. They are currently 1-1 as they continue in the non-conference portion go their season.
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