BROOKLYN, N.Y. – The LIU Brooklyn women's lacrosse team dropped a close decision to Monmouth in their home opener Saturday afternoon. Neither team ever led by more than two goals, but the Hawks took the win in the end, 14-13. Junior Bianca Santucci led the Blackbirds with four goals.
 
LIU would get on the board first, when sophomore Amanda Masullo scored on a free position shot just 55 seconds into the game. Monmouth would tie it up just two minutes later, setting the tone for the rest of the game. The two teams would go back and forth throughout.
 
Masullo would score again, and Santucci added a goal to give the Blackbirds a 3-1 lead, but Monmouth tied it up a few minutes later. Freshmen Adriana Santucci and Kaylee Riggins, along with sophomores Rachel Masullo and Elise Person, would all score for the Blackbirds in the first half, but the visiting team led 10-9 at the halftime break.
 
In the second half, Bianca Santucci would tie it up for LIU, scoring two and a half minutes into the stanza to make it 10-10. Neither team would score for the next ten minutes, but when Monmouth did, LIU answered with a goal by Person to even it up again, 11-11. The Hawks would score twice more to take a 13-11 lead with 11 minutes left to play. Just over a minute later, Adriana Santucci found her sister Bianca Santucci, who would score to cut the lead to 13-12. Three minutes later, Santucci would score on a free position shot to knot it up, 13-13.
 
But on the next draw control, Monmouth got possession, and scored a quick goal to take the lead, 14-13. Goalie Sam Kidd would make three of her 15 saves in the final five minutes, and also caused a turnover to help keep the Blackbirds in the game, and Person had a shot on goal with one second left, but the Monmouth keeper saved it, and the Hawks (4-2) took the win, 14-13.
 
Sophomore Amanda Masullo led the Blackbirds in points, with three goals and two assists along with five draw controls and two caused turnovers, while junior Bianca Santucci had a team-high four goals. Freshman Adriana Santucci finished with a goal and one assist. Elise Person and Rachel Masullo had two goals each, while Masullo had a team high six draw controls.
 
Up next, LIU travels west to take on San Diego State, Saturday, March 16 at 4 p.m. ET.