GRADUATE MIDFIELDER MEG COLITZ FIRES a shot at the University of Rochester goal in a game against the Yellowjackets last Friday afternoon. The Engineers won by a final score of 16-5.Women’s Lacrosse utilized a strong first half to defeat the University of Rochester Yellowjackets by a score of 16-5 on Friday, April 17. Then, on Saturday, they hosted the Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers, where, after taking a one-goal lead into halftime, the Engineers faltered, surrendering five second-half goals to RIT, and lost 9-8.
In Friday’s contest, Engineer graduate midfielder Meg Colitz scored 19 seconds into the game. Rochester answered quickly, scoring two goals in a span of less than two minutes to take a 2-1 lead. The second goal came with 25:18 remaining in the first half. Rochester wouldn’t score again until only a minute remained in the first half.
With 20:19 remaining in the first half, junior midfielder Erin DeLucca scored for RPI to tie the score at two. Then, on the ensuing draw, RPI took possession and proceeded to score 12 seconds later on a quick strike by senior midfielder Erin Riley. Again, RPI won the draw, took the ball into the Rochester zone and scored to go up 4-2 on senior midfielder Jamie Wakefield’s 15th goal of the season.
Rochester continued to unravel throughout the remainder of the first half, allowing 10 consecutive Rensselaer goals. At the end of the first half, RPI led 12-3. Goals were scored by Riley (3), DeLucca (3), Wakefield (2), sophomore attack Sophie Hager (2), junior attack Mackenzie O’Neil, and Colitz.
In the second half, the Engineers worked the clock and took advantage of their opportunities to maintain a comfortable lead. Riley, Hager, and Colitz all scored again to open up a 15-4 lead with only 6:09 gone by in the second half. Then, freshman attack Allison Claroni polished off the scoring with her second goal of the season with 6:44 remaining in the game.
Senior goalie Erin Amarello earned the victory, allowing four goals on seven shots through 36 minutes of action. Then, junior backup Heather MacLauchlan came in for the final 24 minutes and made one save on two shots for the Engineers.
In the second game of the weekend, the Engineers hosted a fired up RIT squad at Renwyck Field. The first half started out well for the Engineers. 84 seconds into the game, DeLucca scored her 12th goal of the season off a pass from Hager. Then, three minutes later, Hager scored to give Rensselaer a 2-0 lead. The game only got worse for the Tigers when attack Sage Serkis was assessed a yellow card with 18:42 remaining in the first half. With the Engineers up a player, they set up the mismatch in the Tigers’ zone and worked the ball around to Wakefield, who scored to put the home team up a trifecta.
The Tigers dominated the next 13 minutes of action, scoring four unanswered goals to take a 4-3 lead with 3:49 left in the first half. RPI responded just 26 seconds later on another unassisted goal by Hager. Later, with 1:44 remaining, Hager found Colitz open near the RIT goal and Colitz found the back of the net to give RPI a 5-4 lead heading into halftime.
Colitz scored twice more in the first twenty minutes of the second half to allow RPI to stick with the Tigers. Colitz’s third goal of the game came with 10:25 remaining to tie the score at seven. Later, two Tiger goals in the 53rd minute gave them a 9-7 lead. With 37 seconds left, Hager scored again, but it was too little for RPI.
Winning goalie Caitlin Conway saved 13 of 21 Rensselaer shots to lead her team to a hard-earned win. In defeat, Amarello allowed nine goals on 13 shots.
Following the weekend split, women’s lacrosse moves to a record of 6-6. Next up for the Engineers are road games against Union and William Smith Colleges next Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, respectively.