Knights Rally Falls Short at Utica, 13-11

Christine Wright has seven goals and seven assists in three games for Clarkson this season

Box Score Utica, NY - After spotting the opponents a seven-goal cushion at halftime, the Clarkson University Women's Lacrosse team made a furious comeback but couldn't quite keep up the momentum to find the equalizer in a 13-11 loss to Utica College in non-league action Tuesday afternoon.

The Golden Knights fell to 1-2 overall and there next competition will occur in Florida next week. Utica improved to 3-1.

The Pioneers received goals from Megan Kane in the first and third minutes to take a lead that they would never relinquish, and the advantage was increased to 4-0 before Clarkson got on the scoreboard on a Christine Wright (Watertown, NY) goal at the 18:32 mark. Wright was the only Golden Knight to score until freshman Paige Fayette (Theresa, NY) tallied at the 9:42 mark, making the score 6-3, but from that point on it was virtually all Utica as the Pioneers scored five goals in the final seven minutes, including a key tally with just seven seconds left prior to the half.

Trailing 11-4 at the break, Clarkson's defense stepped up and kept Utica off the scoreboard for the next 23-plus minutes. The Knights slowly chipped away at the deficit and rallied to within one, 11-10, on freshman Rachel Kenyon's (Binghamton, NY) score at 12:14. That was the end of the six-goal streak, however, and the Clarkson offense stalled in the final 12 minutes. Utica's Courtney Wheeler scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal at 6:44, giving the Pioneers a 12-10 advantage. Fayette scored with 32 seconds left to make the final draw key for both squads. Utica ended up with possession and Briana Estabrook scored an insurance goal with two seconds left to dash Clarkson's hope for a comeback win.

Wright and Fayette each scored four goals and added two assists, with Wright also earning three draws and causing two turnovers. Kenyon, Danielle Faivus (Oswego, NY) and Mollie Simmons (Clinton, CT) each added a goal for the Knights as well. Cassie Grace (Potsdam, NY), Mallory Fisher (Potsdam, NY), Meaghan McKenna (Buffalo, NY) and Hanna Gleason (Massena, NY) each recorded four groundballs, with Grace and McKenna each adding three draw controls and Fisher causing a team-high three turnovers. For Utica, Meagan Kane had six points on five goals and an assist as well as picking up four groundballs. Patricia Kane also scored three goals and Colleen Dowling had two goals and an assist. Courtney Wheeler and Rebecca Plunkett each had six groundballs.

Utica owned a 34-28 edge in shots and a 29-27 lead in groundballs, while Clarkson led in draws 15-9. Kara DiNatale (Auburn, NH) made two saves in the first half and Danielle Tani (Heuvelton, NY) made eight saves in the final 30 minutes for Clarkson. Erin Jacobson stopped seven shots for Utica.

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