Box Score

BOSTON, Mass. - Fans in Boston, Mass. on Saturday afternoon were treated to a shootout between the Lafayette women's lacrosse team and Boston U. with the Terriers sending the Leopards to their first Patriot League defeat of the season by a 20-16 score.

Sophomore Jane Kirby was excellent on the day, racking up six goals to lead the Lafayette offense. Classmate Emma Novick and senior Kirsten Wilhelmsen added three goals apiece, with Wilhelmsen chipping in with three assists for six points. Sophomore Mairead Janzer also put in a multi-goal effort with two scores to go along with one assist.

Sophomore Anna Raymond and freshman Taylor Danson split time between the pipes, with Raymond making nine saves in defeat. Danson played the final 16:25 in the game, stopping three Terrier shots and allowing three goals.

The Terriers jumped out to an early lead in the game, scoring four goals in just over five minutes to take a 4-0 advantage. However, Lafayette quickly responded with seven of the next nine goals going its way to take its first lead of the game at 7-6 with 11:42 to play in the first.

Boston U. came right back with a six-goal run of their own to move out to a comfortable 12-7 edge with 5:23 left. But the Leopards hung tough, scoring a pair with just over four minutes to play to send the game into the break, down by a manageable three, 12-9.

Two out of the gates in the second from the Terriers forced Lafayette back by five again, 14-9, but three straight, including two from Kirby, made it a two-goal game at 14-12 with 23:09 remaining. Boston U. continued to score, though, adding four of the next five to lead by five again, 18-13, at 16:10 in the second.

The last-ditch effort for the Maroon and White came on a three-goal run over a nine-minute span to close the gap back to two at 18-16 with 4:28 left. Unfortunately, that was all the Leopards could muster on the afternoon, giving up a pair of late goals to finish off a 20-16 final.

Shots finished at 49-44 in favor of the home side, while Lafayette held a slim edge at the draw, 19-18. Turnovers were even at 17 apiece, but the Leopards struggled in free-position, hitting on just 2-of-9 from the eight-meter spot. The loss is the first in Patriot League play for Lafayette, moving its overall record to 9-4 and 4-1 in conference play.

The Leopards will have the week to regroup, hosting Holy Cross at Fisher Stadium next Saturday for a 4 p.m. clash with the Crusaders.