Blue & Gold hold on
Falcons avoid Ranger comeback to keep streak alive
| Box |

ERIE, Penn. – The Notre Dame Lacrosse team notched their fourth straight win in a neutral site victory over Regis (CO) on Saturday. Despite a three-goal run by the Rangers (0-8) over the final 19 minutes of the game where the Falcons (4-3) were held without a score, NDC was able to maintain the lead to preserve the 11-10 win.

NDC opened up a 2-0 lead less than a minute into the first half with quick goals from Molly Merrill (Jr/Medina, OH). Merrill would go on to pick up her third goal to put the Blue & Gold up 4-1, which would be their biggest lead of the half.

Regis' free-position shooting kept them in the game with three of their four first half scores coming from the eight meter fan. Becca Gargaro (So/Littleton, CO) snuck one past Kylie Flett (Sr/Adelaide, Australia) at the 5:50 mark to come within one in the opening stanza but Ashley Rutz (Fr/Milton, ONT) answered with her own free position goal to put the Falcons up 6-4 headed into halftime.

Both teams traded goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half but NDC put together a three-goal run from Gena McPherson (So/Brampton, ONT) and Jenna Schuerman (Jr/Savage, MN) over the span of two minutes to go up 11-7 with 20 minutes remaining.

In what seemed like a secure lead, the Falcons went into a slow-paced offense to try to maintain the lead. A persistent Regis defense capitalized on NDC errors and began a forceful comeback when Lillian Yanni (Sr/Vernon Hills, IL) scored with 18:20 left followed by two more Regis scores to get the Rangers within one with just under 12 minutes to go in the second half.

NDC was able to possess the ball over the final ten minutes to ensure the victory in the hard-fought battle from both sides.

Flett finished with 13 saves including a few clutch performances over the final ten minutes. Brittany Farniok (So/Castle Rock, CO) tallied seven saves for the Rangers in the loss.

Falcon scoring was lead by McPherson would finished with four goals and an assist. Merrill (4g) and Shuerman (1g, 3a) each finished with four points apiece.

Maria Heilner (Fr/Steamboat Springs, CO) finished with two goals and one assist while Yanni had one score and two helpers.

The Falcons' next game is slated for Sunday, April 1, when they open a four-game homestand when they host Adrian (MI). The first draw is scheduled for 1:00pm.

NOTES FROM THE NEST...

SAVINGS ACCOUNT: Kylie Flett's 13 saves marks the second time this season she's finished with over ten saves and both times came in games that were decided by one goal. She turned away 13 shots against St. John Fisher back on Feb. 28 in the 10-9 loss to the Cardinals.