BUIES CREEK, N.C. - After two one-goal losses, the LIU Brooklyn women's lacrosse team turned things around for a one-goal victory against Campbell, 21-20, on Saturday afternoon. Down at halftime, the Blackbirds outscored the Camels in the second half to earn their second victory of the season.
Sophomore Jenn Peters led all scorers with eight goals, while sophomore Mary McQueen chipped in six. The Blackbirds were very effective with shots on goal, posting 24, while leading Campbell in draw controls, 23-20. LIU also kept its fouls to only 15 compared to the Camels' 24.
Campbell struck first with a goal just under two minutes into the game. A foul in Camels territory led to a successful clear-attempt by the Blackbirds and Peters's 11th goal of the season.
Campbell then scored four straight in the next three minutes. Campbell then turned over the ball, picked up by sophomore Tori Shinkowitz, who took it all the way into the goal for close the Camels' lead to three. Another Campbell turnover after the draw control led to a ground ball from freshman Carlie Robinson, who cleared the ball. Peters found senior Brittany Rader with 17:54 to play, as the Blackbirds scored their third goal of the afternoon.
The Camels went on a 3-0 run before Tori Shinkowitz won the draw control and scored her second goal of the afternoon. Robinson won the following draw control for LIU, allowing McQueen to find the back of the net.
McQueen quickly scored again with 11:27 to move the score to 7-6 in favor of Campbell. The Camels took four straight shots but could not get any to fall. LIU then went on a 3-0 run of their own, with one from Robinson and two straight from Peters to help the Blackbirds to their first lead of the game at 10-8.
Campbell scored three straight in the last three minutes of the half, while Peters added a free-position goal with 46 seconds to play to help LIU go into halftime down one.
Peters tied the game up at 11-11 immediately out of the gate after McQueen won the first draw control of the second half, but Campbell took the ball down the field to go back up by one eight seconds later.
Peters tied the game again with an assist from Dale Cosgrave with 28:26 to play. Cosgrave assisted another goal from McQueen less than 20 seconds later for LIU take back the lead.
Neither team would score for the next six minutes until a foul led to a free position goal for McQueen. Freshman Kat Gosselin added another free position goal for the Blackbirds to go up by as much as four, but the Camels responded with two consecutive goals to to cut the gap to 15-13 with 16:40 to play.
With 12:04 to go, McQueen scored her 11th goal of the season to put LIU back up by three. The larger lead was short-lived however, as the Camels scored two straight before tying the game at 16 with 8:19 to play. They went up by one briefly, but two consecutive goals from Peters gave LIU the 18-17 lead. McQueen gave LIU more of a cushion with 5:38 to go.
The two teams traded goals to start the last five minutes, with LIU leading 20-19 with 4:11 to go. The Camels scored again to tie the game, but Robinson kept the Blackbirds ahead by two with 1:39 to play. Campbell was not about to let up, keeping the game within one with a goal at the 1:13 mark. Robinson won the draw control and kept the ball in LIU's possession to end the game.
LIU Brooklyn hosts its home opener this Tuesday at LIU Field against Columbia. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.