Women's Lax Comeback Comes Up Just Short at DeSales

CENTER VALLEY, Pa.- The Juniata women's lacrosse team opened the season on the road at DeSales University and lost a hard-fought 8-7 game Saturday afternoon at Turf Stadium.  

Grace Gibbs (Arnold, Md. / Broadneck) tallied four goals, ten ground balls, and four caused turnovers, while Peyton Goodrich (Reading, Pa. / Berks Catholic) totaled two goals, an assist, and five ground balls. Kyndall Yeager (Westminister, Md. / South Carroll) chipped in with a goal and two ground balls, while Lillian Case (Reading, Pa. / Wilson) added an assist. Chloe Gerhard (Macungie, Pa. / Emmaus) made 11 saves in net for the Eagles. 

Gibbs opened the scoring for JC a little over a minute into the match, with the Bulldogs pulling even two minutes later. The teams stayed deadlocked for nearly six minutes until Goodrich got herself on the scoresheet with her first career goal. The host's pulled even in the final minute of the quarter as the teams went into the second quarter tied at two. 

Goodrich's second goal of the game came early in the second, and it took DeSales 11 minutes before they found their third. Gibbs snuck in an unassisted goal in the half's final moments as JC led 4-3 at the break. 

Yeager's first career goal came off a pass from Goodrich was the only goal of the third quarter while DeSales struck three times, as the Bulldogs scored inside the final 30 seconds of the third. Juniata headed into the final quarter down one, 6-5. 

DeSales struck twice in the first 10 minutes of the fourth as JC trailed by three. The Eagles tried valiantly to mount a comeback as Gibbs struck twice in the final minute as JC got within one with 18 seconds to go. The Bulldogs won the ensuing draw control and ran out the clock. 

Juniata had 31 ground balls while DeSales had 30, and the teams were even on shots at 23 apiece. 

Next Saturday, Juniata will host Washington & Jefferson in their home opener at 1:00.