Hat tricks key as women's lacrosse rallies past Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut - In a tightly-contested matchup, the American International College women's lacrosse team overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the University of Bridgeport 13-12 on Saturday, March 11.
AIC is now 2-2 on the year.
It was halfway through the first frame before either team scored when Sam Giordano notched the game's first tally at 8:07. Bridgeport countered that strike just over a minute later, but a Liz Day free position shot hit the twine with just under three to play to give AIC a 2-1 advantage through one.
If the first quarter was low-scoring, the second was the opposite. Isabelle Stone and Bridgeport's Megan Kreitler had dueling hat tricks in the stanza, while AIC also saw tallies from Giordano, Day, and Caroline Colton. The fourth goal of the period for Kreitler - set up by her sister Danielle - cut AIC's lead to 8-6 heading into the locker room.
Both teams found their defenses in the third, but the Kreitler sisters were able to combine to tie things up, as Megan scored two that Danielle assisted and then notched the tying goal at 11:53, setting up essentially a 15-minute game with the score even 9-9. AIC's lone tally of the third was the third of the afternoon for Day.
The fourth frame saw Kathryn Moody open the scoring on an extra-player opportunity, only for back-to-back free-position goals for the Purple Knights giving the hosts their first lead of the game. Giordano had the answer, however, tying the game with 8:09 to play for her third of the day.
Moody then finished a Galgay pass to put AIC back on top with 5:52 remaining. Emily Stuart's second of the frame tied things once more with 2:57 to go, and both teams had chances, with Galgay again setting up Moody to put AIC on top 13-12 with 1:19 to go. Bridgeport took one more look, but Marissa Long deflected Tereza Kreuzova's shot wide to the right side of the net in the dying seconds and Anevay Rice picked up the ground ball to seal the win.
Long made 11 saves in the win to improve to 2-2 in net; she also scooped two ground balls.
AIC returns to action as part of a lacrosse doubleheader on Wednesday, March 15; the women play at 1:00 p.m. and the men at 4:00 p.m. against Felician University.