Late-Game Heroics Spark Spiders To Win At La Salle

Sunday, April 7

Philadelphia, PA

11AM

University of Richmond

12-2, 5-1 A-10

La Salle

5-8, 3-3 A-10

Richmond

La Salle

04/07/2019 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The University of Richmond women's lacrosse team scored three goals in the final five minutes of play and the Spider defense held off the La Salle attack in the hosts' final possession to secure a thrilling 14-13 win in Philadelphia on Sunday morning.

Sam Geiersbach paced the Spiders with a season-high five goals, while Madison Ostrick, Mia Castagnero and Katie Sciandra each scored a pair in the win. Castagnero and Marissa Brown each logged a pair of assists on the day.

La Salle jumped out to an early 4-0 lead before the Spiders mounted a furious comeback with a goal from Marissa Brown and two from Geiersbach. The Explorers pushed their lead back out to 5-4 with 20 minutes to play, but Geiersbach completed the early hat trick and Ostrick scored her first of the day to tie the game midway through the half.

The two teams went on to score two more goals each through the final 15 minutes to go to the half knotted at seven goals apiece. Geiersbach and Castagnero were the Spider goal scorers.

Lauren Kingsbury opened the second-half scoring for an 8-7 Spider advantage, but the Explorers answered with two goals of their own to retake the lead. Geiersbach scored her game-high fifth goal of the day and Evelyn Roberts scored off an assist from Ostrick to make it a 10-9 Spider lead, before La Salle tallied the next three goals for a two-goal lead with 12:38 to play.

Katie Sciandra scored from free position to cut into the lead before La Salle answered with their 13^th goal of the afternoon. The Spider defense locked in through the final minutes, however, holding the explorers scoreless for the rest of the game.

While the defense held strong, the Richmond offense use the momentum to score three-straight goals over the final five minutes of play, including free position goals from Sciandra and Ostrick and the game-winner from Castagnero with just over a minute left.

La Salle won the final draw despite an 18-11 Spider advantage on the day, but Julie Ball stepped up to cause a turnover and pick up the ground ball to seal the Spiders' 12^th win of the season.

Ball finished the day with game highs in ground balls (5) and caused turnovers (4), while Brown won a career-high nine draw controls to pace the Spiders. Gianforte logged nine saves in the win.

The Spiders will return home to Robins Stadium after a three-game road swing for a matchup with Davidson on Friday, April 12. Game time is set for 4 p.m.