This week, the Atlantic 10 women’s lacrosse standings have been affected by key games and predictable playing throughout the week. Here’s a look at some of those matchups.
St. Bonaventure vs. Duquesne (3/26)
St. Bonaventure secured a 20-12 victory over Duquesne on Wednesday afternoon at Rooney Field in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Bonnies (8-4, 4-1 A-10) set the tone in the first quarter with a lead of 6-1 with three goals from Brooke Piper, two from Tori Nascimento and one from Rylee Gonzalez who also aided with an assist. Mackenzie Leszczynski from Duquesne managed to put the Dukes (5-6, 2-4 A-10) on the scoreboard unassisted with one goal in the last eight seconds of the quarter.
Leszczynski kept her momentum and scored the first goal of the second quarter. Duquesne adjusted their defense and played more aggressively; but St. Bonaventure continued to control possession and scored five goals overall bringing the final score of the quarter to 11-4.
The third quarter had the most potential for Duquesne to overcome its deficit with improved playing overall. The Dukes increased their offensive efforts and opened with a three-goal run led by Corinne Webb. The Bonnies responded with Nascimento scoring her fifth and sixth goals of the game.
Multiple turnovers forced by Duquesne helped Chelsea Evans and Webb score a goal each. Despite the Dukes’ effort, St. Bonaventure scored the final goal of the quarter, reinstating its dominance.
The Bonnies kept Duquesne at bay, outscoring them 7-3 in the last quarter. Piper scored her fifth goal of the game unassisted but was met with a two-goal response from Webb.
Yet, more goals from multiple St. Bonaventure players helped solidify its win as the Dukes’ inability to limit turnovers proved costly.
The Bonnies will be on the road again as they play VCU on Saturday, while Duquesne will also be away against Davidson.
VCU vs. Richmond (3/26)
Richmond had a close game against VCU but managed to protect its turf with a 10-8 victory. The Spiders (7-5, 5-1 A-10) asserted dominance in the first quarter by netting four unanswered goals from Whitney Liebler, Colleen Quinn and Alexis Morton. Richmond played aggressive defense which prevented the Rams (5-7, 3-3 A-10) from scoring opportunities.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Mason Whitmore and Ashley Karn, both assisted by Sophia Bombardieri, made it a two-goal game and put VCU on the board. The Rams kept up their defense while taking offensive opportunities as Kenson Epperly scored another goal with less than a minute left in the quarter. But the Spiders quickly answered with one last goal of the quarter from Quinn.
Scoring slowed significantly in the third quarter as both teams upped their defense. Rachel Koeneke cut Richmond’s lead with her first goal of the game. Morton scored her second goal of the game after the Spiders had struggled to find opportunities to score. Both goalies worked hard on close saves until Grace Muldoon managed to break through and score with one second left on the clock for Richmond.
VCU made one last push in the fourth quarter but was met with an equal fight from the Spiders. Bridget Lonsinger scored quickly for Richmond and a minute later Sam Palmer responded with a goal for the Rams. Two goals from the Spiders followed, bringing the score to 10-5, to which VCU responded with three consecutive goals, but despite its efforts, it could not overcome Richmond.
Looking ahead, both teams will play at home on Saturday, the Rams against St. Bonaventure and the Spiders against Rhode Island.
Other Notable Results:
Rhode Island secured a strong home win, 17-12, against George Washington.
UMass handled business against Saint Joesph’s in a competitive matchup with key late possessions leading them to a 14-11 victory.
Davidson cruised past George Mason, 18-2, by controlling possession and shutting down the Patriot’s offense.
Standings Update:
UMass remains undefeated in the A-10 standings at 5-0, followed closely by Richmond at 5-1. Davidson, St. Bonaventure and Saint Joseph’s are all tied at 4-1. VCU, 3-3, sits comfortably in the middle of the pack.
George Washington has struggled in conference play but sits 6-6 overall.
George Mason and La Salle lie at the bottom, both 0-5, after struggling in conference play.
Olivia Thibodeaux can be reached at [email protected].
