BRONX, N.Y. – After trailing at the halftime break, 6-0, the LIU Brooklyn women's lacrosse team rallied to score seven goals in the second half at Manhattan Wednesday afternoon, but it would not be enough, as the Jaspers took the win, 9-7. Bianca Santucci, Amanda Masullo and Rachel Masullo all had two goals for the Blackbirds (0-4) in the loss.
Manhattan got on the board first five minutes into the game, and would score six unanswered goals in the first stanza, to lead 6-0 at the break.
 
LIU came out firing in the second half. Sophomore Elise Person had an early shot that Manhattan's goalie would save, and just a couple of minutes later, Santucci had a shot on net that hit the post. Senior Carlie Robinson got the rebound off that shot and fed it to Tori Gray, but that shot was also saved by the Jaspers' keeper. Three minutes later, the Blackbirds would get on the board. Sophomore Rachel Masullo found the net off a pass from Amanda Masullo, to make it 6-1. The Masullo sisters would connect again just 15 seconds later. Rachel Masullo won the draw control, and found Amanda Masullo, who would score to cut the lead to 6-2.
 
LIU kept the pressure on, and junior Bianca Sanutcci would on a free position shot just 45 seconds later, making it 6-3. Manhattan called a timeout, but the Blackbirds couldn't be stopped. Amanda Masullo would score on another free position shot less than a minute later, to cut the gap to 6-4.
 
Manhattan stopped the LIU scoring spree a minute and a half later, scoring to give them a cushion, 7-4, but less than a minute later, the Blackbirds came back down firing. Amanda Masullo and Person would both have shots that went wide, but LIU kept getting the rebounds, and Rachel Masullo would score off a pass from Person at the 13-minute mark to make it 7-5. And 45 seconds later, freshman Adriana Santucci would add another goal on a free position shot that cut Manhattan's lead to one point, 7-6.
 
But a minute later, the Jaspers would score two quick goals of their own, taking a 9-6 advantage. Person would have another shot that was saved a few minutes later, as would Adriana Santucci. And the Blackbirds would add one more goal by Bianca Santucci with 10 minutes left, cutting the lead back down to two points, 9-7.
 
Despite continued pressure on offense, including shots by Amanda Masullo, Robinson and Santucci, LIU would not score again, and Manhattan took the win, 9-7.
 
Sophomore keeper Sam Kidd had 13 saves in net for LIU in the loss.
 
Up next, the Blackbirds travel to Hartford to take on the Hawks, Saturday, March 2 at 1 p.m.