April 11, 2008

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. - Senior attacker Laura King scored a game-high four goals and added an assist as the 12th-ranked George Mason women's lacrosse team (9-2, 2-1 CAA) overcame an early four-goal deficit to earn its eighth win in the last nine games, a 13-10 Colonial Athletic Association victory over 19th-ranked Towson University (9-4, 3-1 CAA) at the Tigers' Johnny Unitas Stadium on Friday evening in Towson, Md.

The win snapped the Patriots' five-game losing streak against the Tigers. It also snapped the Tigers' five-game home win streak.

Led by two goals from sophomore midfielder Nikki Marcinik, the Tigers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first nine minutes. However, the Patriots countered with a four-goal run of their own over a 15-minute span to tie the game with 5:01 remaining in the first half. Junior attacker Brittany Berger scored two free-position goals during the spurt.

With 56 seconds remaining in the first half, junior midfielder Hillary Fratzke scored an unassisted goal to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead at the intermission. It also extended her streak of consecutive games with a point to 45 straight games and marked the 39th consecutive game in which she has scored a goal, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I women's lacrosse.

After the teams traded goals to start the second half, the Patriots took a 9-6 lead by scoring four straight goals over a six-minute span. King started the rally with her first goal of the game, an unassisted marker past senior goalkeeper Mandy Corry.

Junior attacker Meggie McNamara ended a nearly 17-minute drought for the Tigers when she scored her 21st goal of the season off an assist from senior attacker Ali Alati with 11:41 remaining.

After the teams traded goals, King tallied back-to-back markers to extend the Patriots' advantage to 12-8 with 3:31 remaining. Junior attacker Cassie Krause narrowed the margin to 12-9 by scoring an unassisted goal with 1:09 left before freshman midfielder Chelsea Gamble converted a Berger pass to regain the three-goal advantage.

With six seconds left, sophomore attacker Jacie Kendall scored an unassisted goal for the Tigers, but George Mason won the ensuing draw control in the final seconds to secure the victory.

While King led the Patriots with her five-point effort, Berger added two goals and two assists. Senior midfielder Megan Bartlett added a goal with two assists in the victory. Sophomore goalkeeper Sara Longobucco made eight saves for the Patriots. The Tigers were led by Fratzke, Marcinik and Kendall, who each scored two goals.

George Mason remains on the road for its next contest, traveling to Newark, Del. to take on the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens on Sunday, April 13. The opening draw is slated for 1 p.m.