April 21, 2007
Box Score
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshmen Maria Drehwing (3G, 2A) and Courtney Bryan (2G, 3A) each tallied five points as Lafayette dropped a 21-11 decision at Bucknell in Patriot League women's lacrosse action on Saturday afternoon in the Leopards' season finale at Graham Field.
Sophomore Kristin Ruminski found Drehwing just 2:19 into the contest, but Bucknell went on to score the next 10 goals of the game unanswered, cruising ahead to a 10-1 lead with 12:18 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Emily Archibald (assist) and Sydney Peyser (goal) halted the Bison run with a score at the 12:06 mark.
Unfortunately, Bucknell got right back to business with six straight goals going down to the final minute. Over the next 48 seconds, the Leopards went to work and finished the half with a pair of last-minute goals to pull within 16-4 at the break. Ruminski scored from Bryan with 48 seconds to go, while Archibald beat Bucknell keeper Katie Hartsock unassisted just 12 seconds later.
The Leopards managed to out-score Bucknell 7-5 in the second half, as Drehwing and Bryan were each responsible for a pair. Chelsea Peters padded the Bison lead with a quick goal just 15 seconds into the second stanza. The Lafayette offense controlled the next seven minutes and came away with two goals, trimming the deficit to 17-6 with just over 22 minutes to play. Archibald got things going with a free position shot (27:55), while Drehwing took a pass from Bryan for the score with 22:06 on the clock.
The teams traded goals over the next three-plus minutes. Bucknell's Bonnie Buechel scored at the 20:40 mark, but Ruminski answered just over a minute later to make it 18-7. Drehwing was credited with the assist.
With plenty of time to work with, the Bison dashed any hope of a Lafayette comeback with three straight goals over the ensuing five minutes, rolling ahead 21-7. Behind goalkeeper Christine McDougal and back-up Emily Bjork, the Leopards' defense kept the Bison scoreless from there.
Meanwhile, Bryan found the net twice for Lafayette, while Drehwing and junior Sara Bergstrom also scored in the final 12 minutes.
For the third straight game, Lafayette did a standout job on the draw, thanks in large part to Ruminski and freshman Andrea Corpora. The Leopards controlled 22 to the Bison 11. After the Leopards out-shot Bucknell 18-7 in the second half, the Bison only held a 30-28 advantage in that column.
Defensively, Ruminski and freshman Tara Mayo finished with three ground balls apiece. Archibald, Corpora and senior defender Morgan Schneller each caused two turnovers.
Lafayette returns all but one starter for next year, as only Schneller will graduate in May. That group includes six of the team's top scorers and McDougal in goal.
