Women's Lacrosse Rolls Past Alvernia to Remain in Contention For Conference-Tournament Berth

(box score)

Senior Julia Costello (Brookhaven, PA) and freshman Meghan Garvey (Landenberg, PA) each scored five goals with sophomore Mackenzie Lindquist (Ocean City, NJ) adding a mammoth tally late in the contest for Widener, which notched a huge 16-10 Commonwealth Conference victory at Alvernia in Reading, PA.

Needing to win by at least four goals to remain in contention of making the conference tournament, the Pride (7-8, 2-5 CC) got it done and now head into the final day of the regular season with a chance. For them to get in, they must defeat Hood at home on Saturday and hope Alvernia loses on the road at No. 18 Messiah. This would create a three-way tie for fifth place with Alvernia and Albright, but Widener would get in by virtue of goal differential in the teams' head-to-head meetings.

Widener initially took control by scoring eight straight times to open a 10-2 lead with 8:38 remaining in the opening half. Garvey scored three of her four first-half goals in the run and Lindquist netted two, the latter of which chased starting goalkeeper Victoria Kearn.

Costello added three goals in the half for the Pride, who held an 11-4 halftime lead thanks to a 12-4 edge in draw controls and by going 4-of-6 on free-position shots.

The Crusaders made things interest by getting three consecutive goals, including two from Allison Bainbridge, to close to 15-10 with 2:40 remaining. Julie Sutton netted the final tally in that spurt for Alvernia (6-8, 3-4).

With goal differential now coming into play, Widener needed a big play and turned to the one who has made so many all season. Lindquist won the draw control and found the back of the net with 2:19 remaining to close the scoring and, more importantly, once again give Widener the momentum.

Costello ended with five points and now is tied with Mary Frances Dolan (1998-2001) for seventh place in school history with 194 for her career. It was the fifth time this season Costello has scored at least five times.

Garvey's goal total is a season high, Lindquist reached four for the third time this season in addition to getting six draw controls and sophomore Megan Dunn (Oxford, PA) totaled 12 saves.

“I am proud of the team and the way we stuck to the game plan,” Widener coach Julie Mazer said. “We built a strong lead in the first half and stayed composed when Alvernia scored a couple in the second to close the gap a bit. We played as a cohesive unit on both ends of the ball.”

Sutton had four goals and an assist, Bainbridge netted four goals and Colleen Reilly made five saves in relief for Alvernia.

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