Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Saint Francis (Pa.)
Switala's Five Goals Lead Women's Lax Past Saint Francis (Pa.), 13-10
2/25/2015 10:14:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Claire Switala scored a career-high five goals and Gretchen Richter recorded 10 draw controls to lead the Bucknell women's lacrosse team to a comeback 13-10 victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) on a chilly Wednesday evening at Graham Field. The Bison trailed by as many as three goals in the first half, but outscored the Red Flash by a 9-3 margin over the final 30:08 for their second home win of the season.
Sam Rickels added three goals for Bucknell (2-2), which is off to its best start to a season since opening the 2008 campaign with a 2-2 mark. Maddy Molinari contributed two goals, while Christina Manis dished out four assists, three of which came on Switala goals.
Rebecca Meyer paced the Saint Francis (0-1) offense with five goals, but she managed to score just once in the second half.
Richter, who had one goal and one caused turnover in the contest, registered the second-most draw controls in a game in program history. The only other Bison player to reach double figures in draw controls was Bonnie Buechel, who had a program-record 11 against Saint Francis in 2007. Thanks to Richter's efforts, Bucknell dominated the draw controls, 18-6.
Meyer led the Red Flash to 2-0, 5-2 and 7-4 first-half cushions, but Switala got going late in the first half for the Bison. She scored three times in the final 6:26 of the first stanza, including one goal with 8.8 seconds showing on the clock. Molinari then scored nifty back-to-back goals in the opening minutes of the second half and a Rickels goal with 23:56 to play gave the Bison their first lead at 8-7.
Bucknell's defense, which forced 18 turnovers, held Saint Francis scoreless for more than 12 minutes spanning the end of the first half and beginning of the second as it took its first lead. However, the Red Flash answered back with goals by Jessica Fischetti and Meyer to go back on top 9-8.
Switala (2) and Rickels (1) then scored three straight goals in less than four minutes to give the Bison the lead for good. Switala's score with 11:52 to play staked Bucknell to an 11-9 cushion.
Cori Thielemann scored on a free position shot with 8:51 to play that moved the Bison cushion back to two goals (12-10) and Bucknell played keep-away the rest of the half as time ticked down. A goal by Eve Lukowski with 1:46 to play sealed the outcome.
Bison goalie Elizabeth Duswalt posted six saves in goal for the Bison, who outshot Saint Francis by a 30-20 margin. Red Flash goalie Heather McKee recorded 10 saves.
After converting just 5 of 11 clears in the first half, Bucknell was 4-for-5 in a slower-paced second half.
The Bison will hit the road this Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. game at Villanova.
