EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's lacrosse team scored four goals in a 4:04 span late in the second half to tie the match but a last minute goal by Wilkes University gave the host Colonels a 14-13 win over the Greyhounds in non-conference action Saturday afternoon.
Freshmen midfielder Alexia Johnston and attack Jessica Pisano each had hat tricks for the Hounds while freshman midfielder/attack Jillian Picciuto had two goals and a team-high three assists. Freshman midfielder Eileen Rolwood added two goals and an assist while freshman midfielder Kyleigh Miller had two goals. Sophomore attack Kyleigh McGovern contributed a goal and an assist for Moravian while sophomore midfielder Alexis Kersten had one assist.
Sophomore goalie Elisabeth Pontius made her first start of the season in the cage for the Blue and Grey and had three saves while playing the first 30 minutes of the contest. Freshman Kelley Gavin played the second half of the match and made eight saves. Kersten led Moravian with six ground balls while Picciuto was credited with seven draw controls. Rolwood and Johnston each had three draw controls with Rolwood, freshman defender Jacqueline LaCava and senior midfielder/defender Caroline McCarthy each scooping up four ground balls. McCarthy also caused four turnovers while LaCava forced three.
The teams traded goals over the first nine minutes of action with the score tied at 3-3. Wilkes would add two more goals for a 5-3 advantage before three straight tallies by the Greyhounds put Moravian ahead 6-5 on a free position goal by McGovern with 15:16 left in the first half. The Colonels scored the next four goals to head to the intermission with a 9-6 lead.
Wilkes scored the opening goal of the second half and led 12-7 before Moravian mounted a comeback. Miller and Rolwood had goals to cut the deficit to 12-9 before the Colonels scored again. Johnston netted back-to-back goals at the 5:14 and 2:08 marks in the second half and goals by Pisano and Rolwood tied the contest at 13-13 with just 1:10 remaining but Wilkes scored with 49 ticks on the clock to retake the lead.
The Greyhounds are scheduled to return to action on Thursday, March 17 when the squad hosts SUNY Purchase at 4:30 p.m. at Rocco Calvo Field.
