Women’s lacrosse drops close match
After a series of lopsided losses to start the 2016 campaign, the Waynesburg University lacrosse team found themselves in the closest contested game of the year when they traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to take on the host Lancaster Bible College Chargers.
The Jackets had their biggest offensive output of the year but still fell short as the Chargers weather a fevered Yellow Jackets comeback towards the end of the match to acquire the victory, 14-12
For the first time of the year, the Yellow Jackets were able to find the back of net first as junior Holly Bachman provided them a lead just 1:32 into the match. After Lancaster Bible tied the score at 1-1 five minutes later, Bachman found the back of the net for a second time to give her team the lead back.
The Chargers took the game’s first multi-score advantage thanks to three unanswered goals. The Jacket deficit grew to 8-5, which was also the halftime score, after Lancaster Bible racked up four of the final seven goals of the first half.
The two teams alternated scores over the first 22:38 of play in period number two. Lancaster built up a 13-9 advantage thanks to back-to-back scores with 6:10 showing on the game clock. Waynesburg showed its mettle by responding to the Charger challenge with three-straight scores.
Junior Jess Rains started the rally with 5:51 left in the match, and was followed by Bachman and Miller both splitting the pipes. The team hat trick pulled Waynesburg to within a goal at 13-12 with just under two minutes left to play in the game, but the Mavericks were able to find the net one last time to ice the game and send Waynesburg home without their first win of 2016.
A bright spot in the match was Waynesburg leading scorer from 2015, Junior Holly Bachman, finding the net 6 times to pace the team scoring outburst. Bachman believes she has her team to thank for the opportunities that lead to such an individual performance.
“We have some girls who are smart with the ball and we had some smooth transitions during the game,” said Bachman. “We had some 3 versus 2 opportunities and it left me open by the net to put up some goals.”
Bachman also believes her leading scorer status from the previous season and the expectation to repeat isn’t a form of pressure coming into this season but a chance to internally motivate.
“I don’t look so much at the numbers and stats,” said Bachman. “I just want to be the best player I can be for myself and the team, but I would like to set some more records.”
Waynesburg was outshot but was the more efficient team by scoring 12 goals on 26 shots. Miller believes the team putting up double digits in goals for the first time this make the team believe they really can find the back of the net.
“When a team plays together as a team you are able to accomplish so much more,” said junior Abbie Miller. “This type of effort only show how much more we can accomplish.”
The Yellow Jackets will be back in action in with a chance to pick up their first win of the season and make up ground in the Ohio River Lacrosse Conference when they take on the St. Vincent Bearcats in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Start time is scheduled for 4 p.m.