Box Score
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The LIU Brooklyn women's lacrosse team fell on the road in Northeast Conference action to Sacred Heart, 16-8 on Friday afternoon.
Freshmen Danita Stroup and Jenn Peters combined for six goals, both posting a hat trick. Peters also added one assist to lead the squad in points for the game. Senior Jesenia Cantres also put up a complete game effort, with two assists, four caused turnovers and four groundballs.
"Unfortunately, we did not take care of the ball the way we needed to this afternoon," LIU head coach Allison Nuzzi said after the game. "Sacred Heart came out hard in the second half and our lapses turned into momentum for them."
The Blackbirds kept in close in the first half, despite a 4-0 run by Sacred Heart to start the game. Peters but LIU on the board with 23:56 to go after freshman Tori Shinkowitz caused a turnover to give the Blackbirds possession.
Both squads then traded goals, with Peters scoring again on a free position shot two minutes later, to close the Pioneer's lead to 5-2. They scored once more, before the Blackbirds pieced scored two straight to close out the half at 6-4. Stroup added her first goal on the assist from Cantres with just over 10 minutes in the first, and then found the back of the net again with 6:45 to go.
The second half started much like the first, with Sacred Heart scoring four in a row to push their lead to 10-4 in the first seven minutes. Two saves from LIU goalkeeper Alexis Maldonado kept the score as is, until Peters scored the first of the half for the Blackbirds with 19:05 left on the clock.
The Pioneers then went on their largest run of the game, extending their lead to 15-5 in the next 10 minutes. Shinkowitz took several shots, but all were saved by SHU goalkeeper Kelly Keenan.
Junior Colleen Holmes stopped Sacred Heart's surge with 8:55 left to go, on assist from Peters. Sacred Heart would score once more, before the Blackbirds closed out the game with two goals.
Freshman Priscilla Lawson-Pires picked up the ground ball after a SHU shot hit the post with 2:07 left for a successful LIU clear attempt. The Blackbirds missed a free position shot, but retained the ball after McQueen picked up the ball. She found senior Ashley Delaney with 1:37 left for the seventh Blackbird goal. She then won the draw control, and Stroup scored once more on an assist from Cantres.
With the loss, the Blackbirds move to 1-4 in the NEC, while Sacred Heart is now 2-3.
"For us, it's about continuing to do the dirty work and wanting it more than the other guy," Nuzzi said. "We have the talent, and we continue to believe in what we are working for."
LIU Brooklyn returns to LIU Field to play its last two regular-season games of 2014 next weekend. The Blackbirds first take on Bryant on Friday, April 25 at 4:00 p.m. before facing Central Connecticut the following Sunday, April 27 at 12:00 p.m.