ST. LEO, Fla. – The Bloomsburg University women's lacrosse team opened its 2015 season by controlling the pace of play and outshooting host St. Leo by a 41-13 margin, but the Lions came away with the 9-8 victory thanks to a second half flurry.
Bloomsburg (0-1) dominated the stat sheet. Along with their 41 total shots, the Huskies also put 31 shots on goal compared to St. Leo's 12, including shot margins of 22-8 during the first half and 19-5 in the second half. The Huskies also caused 15 turnovers, but it was not enough to overcome a strong second half from St. Leo (3-2).
St. Leo's Allie Sheftall gave the Lions the early advantage, scoring twice within a 14-second span for a 2-0 lead at the 28:04 mark.
Carly Ball (Lansdale/North Penn) gave the Huskies their first goal of the season just shy of seven minutes into the game, taking an assist from Patrice Coleman (Media/Penncrest ) and depositing a shot into the back of the net for a 2-1 score.
Less than two minutes later the Huskies scored the equalizer as Brigid Kyne (Newtown Square/Marple Newtown) found the net unassisted for the tie.
Kyne later gave the Huskies their first lead of the season, whirling a shot over the shoulder of the St. Leo goalkeeper with 17 minutes left in the opening half.
St. Leo's Kelly Smigiera scored with 14:52 remaining to tie the score again, but goals from Taylor Turner (Corning, N.Y./Corning West) and Julie Falk (Millersville/Penn Manor) put the Huskies up, 5-3.
Sheftall found the net for the third time in the first half with 51 seconds remaining to seemingly give St. Leo some momentum before half, but the Huskies scored again with just 10 seconds to go as Falk tallied a goal off a free position shot for a 6-4 Bloomsburg lead at intermission.
The Lions started the second half scoring just over seven minutes in on a goal from Kelsey Burns to cut the Bloomsburg lead to 6-5.
Kyne found the net again to give the Huskies some breathing room with a 7-5 lead with 20:55 to play, but St. Leo then scored the next four goals – all from Abbie Ross – to go ahead, 9-7 and take control of the contest.
Falk brought the Huskies within 9-8 with 4:45 to go off a free position shot. The Huskies senior attacker had another great chance with just over two and a half minutes left, but her shot on goal was saved high by the Lions goalkeeper.
Bloomsburg had a final chance to tie in the waning seconds when Kyne charged the net and shot from close range, but her attempt was turned away by Kearns with 12 seconds to go. A groundball pickup by Ross gave the Lions possession and the ability to run out the clock and secure victory.
Falk and Kyne each had three goals to lead the attack for the Huskies. Ross led all players with four goals for the Lions.
Brittany Hegarty made her Huskies debut with three saves.
Kearns earned the win in net with 13 saves while Brittany Millsap also made 10 saves as the two Lions goalkeepers each played 30 minutes.
Bloomsburg remains at St. Leo to play No. 5 Limestone on Wednesday afternoon.
