DOVER, Del. - An eleven-goal effort in the last 30 minutes LIU Brooklyn women's lacrosse team took down Delaware State, 17-9, on Monday afternoon.
Freshman Darrien Diaz picked up eight saves in her first career start, while sophomore Mary McQueen and freshman Carlie Robinson each scored two. LIU Brooklyn held the 39-23 shot advantage, while picking up 20 ground balls, winning 15 draw controls and making 19 of 21 clear attempts. Robinson also picked up six ground balls, and Shinkowitz won nine draw controls to lead all players.
"I thought we did some nice things today," LIU Brooklyn head coach Allison Hanley said. "I give credit to the girls for making adjustments in the moment. We have been focusing on playing with more confidence and winning the stat sheet which we achieved. Tori Shinkowitz and Carlie Robinson continue to amaze us in the hustle plays when they turn it on it can make the difference."
McQueen got the game off to a fast start with a goal less than a minute into play. Peters then tried to take the ball all the way to the goal, but her shot was saved by goalkeeper Rhian Sellers. Cosgrave was there to make the recovery, however, and added a goal of her own for the 2-0 lead.
The next several minutes were plagued by turnovers on both sides. A ground ball from Peters gave possession back to LIU, and a foul led to a failed free position shot. The ball remained with the Blackbirds, and Peters was able to put it away with 20:23 to play, before adding another 40 seconds later, as LIU went up 4-0.
Sophomore Tori Shinkowitz won the draw for the Blackbirds. Peters then found freshman Kat Gosselin for LIU's fifth goal of the game.
A saved shot gave the Hornets the ball, but they turned it over with 16 minutes left in the first. A successful clear by the Blackbirds sent the ball back down the field, as freshman Sierra O'Connor shot the ball straight into the stick of Sellers, who turned the ball over herself.
Turnovers again were abound by both teams, with the Hornets ending up with possession with 12:49 to go. Delaware State attempted their first shot of the game with just under 12 to play, but Diaz came up with the save for LIU. Delaware State finally got on the board at 9:19 after a successful clear from a failed shot by the Blackbirds.
Both teams struggled to find the back of the net in the next eight and a half minutes, until Robinson broke the scoring standstill with 33 seconds to play.
The Hornets were the first to strike in the second, winning the draw control and taking the ball all the way to the goal to cut LIU's lead to 6-2. They scored again to close the gap to three with just under 29 to play. The Blackbirds quickly recovered, however, after freshman Christina Zolezzi scored on a free position attempt at the 27:46 mark. Peters then added to LIU's total to send the score to 8-3.
Delaware State won the following draw control, and was able to score a quick goal with 26:35 to go. A turnover near the Hornets' goal prevented any more shots, as LIU earned its 10th successful clear on the afternoon. A foul in the eight-meter sent gave Carly Weiss a free-position shot, and LIU's ninth goal of the day, despite being a player down after an LIU card.
Another foul gave freshman Sierra O'Connor the go-ahead with 21:22 to go, as the Blackbirds went up 10-4. McQueen had a chance in the eight-meter herself, the ball was just high.
The Hornets cut LIU's lead to 10-5 with 16:48 to play, before Cosgrave answered at the other end of the field. Six minutes would go by before senior Colleen Holmes added her first goal of the game and the 12th for LIU.
Delaware State then scored a pair under the 10 minute mark, as LIU continued to lead by five, before McQueen posted her second goal of the game with just over 7 to go. Peters then whipped the ball in from the side to send LIU back up to 14-7.
Peters scored her sixth of the day with 6:20 left on the clock as the Blackbirds began to take control of the game. A save from Diez and a successful clear attempt and good pass from Shinkowitz helped Robinson send the ball straight past Sellers for a 16-7 Blackbird lead.
Delaware State would score two more, but LIU Brooklyn would go on to win the game 17-9.
"We still need to clean up our stickwork and some of our fundamentals in order to put our best foot forward, but I am proud of the resiliency and the total team effort put forth against a physical DSU team," Hanley said.
Up next, LIU Brooklyn hosts Oregon at LIU Field this Thursday, March 26 at 4:00 p.m.