April 18, 2006
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TOWSON, Md. - George Mason dropped a crucial 18-14 decision to the Towson Tigers in Colonial Athletic Association women's lacrosse action on Tuesday afternoon at Unitas Stadium. The Patriots fall to 7-7 overall and 3-3 in the CAA with the loss, while Towson improves to 7-7, and ends its regular-season conference schedule with a 4-3 record.
The loss puts a damper on the Patriots' postseason hopes, dropping the team into fifth place in the standings, behind James Madison (5-1), Hofstra (4-2), William & Mary (4-2) and Towson (4-3). The top four teams qualify for the CAA Championships, held at the home of the top seed on May 5-7. Mason has one more conference game remaining, against JMU in Harrisonburg, Va. on Friday at 6 p.m. The Patriots must win that game, and hope for outside help, to get into the CAA Tournament. A George Mason victory on Friday would put the Patriots at 4-3 in conference play. Of the teams that could possibly finish with a 4-3 record, the Patriots have beaten only one, Hofstra. The Pride conclude their conference schedule on April 21 against Drexel at 4 p.m. William & Mary, who beat Mason earlier in the season, could also finish 4-3 with a loss in its final CAA game against Old Dominion on April 26.
In the first period, Mason trailed by a single goal, at 5-4, after Towson's Becky Trumbo scored with 16:17 remaining. The Patriots cut into the deficit, scoring four goals in the final 10:22 of the period to head into the break with a three-goal lead. Junior Melissa Venturi found the back of the net with 10:22 remaining and freshman Jenna Celano scored three times in the final 5:38, including a goal as time expired in the period. Sophomore Laura King assisted on Celano's last two goals. The three goals is a new single-game high for Celano.
After the break, Towson scored three goals, two by junior Shannon Witzel, in the first 3:05 to tie the score at eight. Venturi countered with her fourth and final score to put the Patriots back up 9-8. However, the Tigers answered back, scoring four goals in the next 8:26 to take a lead they would not relinquish. Freshman attacker Meggie McNamara scored two of the goals during the spurt and a total of five goals in a span of 11:41 to take control of the game. She finished with a total of six to lead all scorers.
Trailing by five goals at 17-12, Mason made one last comeback attempt when freshman Brittany Berger scored twice within ten seconds to cut the deficit to 17-14. The first came at 2:22 off a feed from Celano and the second came off a pass from junior Melissa Curry. Trumbo's goal with a minute left in the game thwarted the Patriots' comeback attempt and sealed the victory for the Tigers.
King and Venturi both paced the Patriots with four goals each. Curry led Mason with three caused turnovers and six ground balls. Freshman Roxie Alsruhe had eight stops in 60 minutes in the net for Mason. Towson took 10 more shots than George Mason in the game and tallied 11 more draw controls. The Patriots held a 20-16 advantage in ground balls.
George Mason concludes its conference schedule on Friday at 6 p.m. against JMU in Harrisonburg, Va.
