Gophers Mount Furious Comeback at Virginia Wesleyan, Fall to Marlins

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Goucher College women's lacrosse team trailed 10-5 at halftime and 12-5 early in the second half before rallying to cut the Virginia Wesleyan lead to one twice in the fourth quarter.  The Marlins held on for a 13-12 win at Birdsong Field Monday evening.

• Virginia Wesleyan (3-4) scored the game's first three goals and took a 3-0 lead 9:20 into the game.
• Goucher (1-7) got on the board with 4:30 remaining in the first as Julia Gazzola (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) netted an unassisted tally.
• The Marlins put the lead back to three 27 seconds later and took a 4-1 lead into the second quarter.

• VWU extended its lead to 5-1 31 seconds into the second.
• The Gophers got goals from Elizabeth Green (Easton, Pa./Lehigh Valley Charter for the Arts) and Mackenzie Nase (Weare, N.H./John Stark) 38 seconds apart to cut the Marlin lead to 5-3 with 12:42 left before halftime.
• After a Virginia Wesleyan goal at the 12:05 mark, a man-up goal by Gazzola at 8:06 made it a 6-4 game.
• Nase's second goal of the game with 6:30 to go cut the hosts' advantage to one.
• The Marlins reeled off the final four goals of the half and took a 10-5 lead into intermission.

• Two goals in the first 2:49 for the Marlins gave them a 12-5 lead.
• Green found the back of the net at 11:38 and again at 8:53 to cut the lead back to five.  Nase assisted on the second tally.
• Emily Flinn (Ashland, Va./Patrick Henry) scored Goucher's second man-up goal of the contest with 4:22 left in the period.
• Green's third goal of the quarter at 1:37 made it a 12-9 game.  Gazzola recorded an assist on the goal.

• A man-down goal by Gazzola 1:37 into the fourth made it 12-10.
• With 9:07 left, a free position goal by Gazzola cut Virginia Wesleyan's lead to one, 12-11.
• The Marlins broke a 23-plus minute scoring drought with a goal with 3:49 left to reclaim a two-goal advantage.
• Gazzola converted another free position with 1:26 left to again make it a one-goal game.
• Virginia Wesleyan won the ensuing draw but turned it over with just over a minute to go.
• Goucher would turn the ball over on a failed clear and the Marlins were able to run out the remainder of the game.

• Goucher outshot Virginia Wesleyan 18-8 in the second half and 35-31 for the game.
• Gazzola led Goucher with five goals and an assist, extending her goal scoring streak to 16 games.
• Green notched four goals and an assist, while Nase found the back of the net twice and added an assist.
• The Gophers won 15-of-29 draws, with Gazzola recording five draw controls and Nase and Lia Oren (Milwaukee, Wisc./Nicolet) each winning four.
• Nase had a team-best five ground balls, with Gazzola and Molly Smith (Damascus, Md./Damascus) each picking up four.
• Sydney Lewis (Baltimore, Md./Carver) made nine saves in the second half in relief of Belle Christ (Randolph, N.J./Randolph), who made four stops in the opening 30 minutes.
• Virginia Wesleyan had eight different players record a goal in the game.

• Goucher opens Landmark Conference play on Saturday, traveling to Juniata for a 1 pm contest.
• The Gophers return to Beldon Field on Wednesday, March 30 hosting Notre Dame (Md.) in a 7 pm non-conference tilt.