Lacrosse Grabs First NEC Win of 2011

Sophomore Betsy Vendel scored an unassisted goal with 34 seconds left in the game to give the Blue Devils a 10-9 victory over the Colonials of Robert Morris. The win is the first in Northeast Conference play for the Blue Devils this season. They improve to 6-5, and 1-3 in NEC play on the season. Sophomore Mackenzy Ryan finished the game with four points, including a hattrick.

The Colonials struck first taking a 1-0 lead two and a half minutes into the game. The Blue Devils quickly answered as Vendel found Ryan for a tying goal with 25:39 left in the half.

Ryan scored again four minutes later giving the Blue Devils a 2-1 lead. This time it was junior Ashley Perkoski who passed to Ryan.

Three quick goals, two my Robert Morris, knotted the score at 3-3 with 13:29 left in the period. Perkoski registered another assist as she found sophomore Meaghan McCurry for the Blue Devil goal during that stretch.

The star of the first half for the Blue Devils was junior goalkeeper Erin DeLancey who stopped 11 of the 14 shots on her net in the period. Her performance was key to Central's 3-3 half time tie, as the Blue Devils were outshot 14-7 in the half.

The offenses took over in the second half. The Colonials briefly took a 4-3 lead, but the Blue Devils were able to counter with a pair of goals. Senior Lyndsey Mastandrea score and unassisted goal, and McCurry scored her second goal of the game with the assist going to Ryan.

Robert Morris ran off three straight goals to take 7-5 lead. Vendel scored her first goal of the game making it a 7-6 Colonial lead. Another Robert Morris goal pushed the lead to 8-6, but Central was ready to go on a run of their own.

Ryan notched her third goal of the game making it 8-7. McCurry then completed her hattrick tying the game at eight, junior Ashley Mara assisted on the score. Finally, Perkoski scored her first goal of the game giving the Blue Devils a 9-8 lead with 13:35 remaining.

The lead looked like it might hold up, but with 5:51 left in the game Colleen O'Donnell scored her second goal of the game, once again tying the score.

It looked like the game was heading to overtime, but with only 34 seconds remaining Vendel scored an unassisted goal to give the Blue Devils a 10-9 lead and a victory.

The Colonials recorded 26 shots on goal, with DeLancey stopping 17 of those attempts.

Ryan finished with three goals and an assist, McCurry had three goals and Vendel had two goals and an assist. Ryan and McCurry each have a team-high 25 goals this season. Vendel leads the team in points with 40 and her two goals give her 20 on the season. She joins McCurry, Ryan, and Conway as the four Blue Devils who have scored 20 or more goals this season.

The Blue Devils return to action on Sunday when they visit St. Francis (PA) the game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start.