March 10, 2010

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette played one of its most competitive games of the early season. The Leopards held several leads against the undefeated Villanova Wildcats but could not hang on, ultimately dropping an 11-6 decision.

Lafayette (0-5) and Villanova (5-0) went into halftime tied at four and while the Wildcats out-scored the Leopards 7-2 over the final 30 minutes, they finished well below their season scoring average of nearly 22 goals per game.

Lauren Brown and Addie Godfrey added two goals apiece. Goalie Emily Bjork tallied 13 saves, but the final score did not necessarily reflect how solid of a night she had between the pipes.

Villanova took a 1-0 lead four minutes into the game but three unanswered Leopard goals, all from different players, gave them a two-goal cushion (3-1) after 10 minutes of action.

Goals from both teams kept Lafayette up 4-2 with three minutes remaining in the half, but two unanswered Wildcats goals tied it at four at the midway point.

Villanova came out of the break and took only 50 seconds to net its first goal, this one from Erica Rybinski. Rybinski went on to lead all players with her six-goal performance.

Two Lafayette goals put the team back up by one (6-5), with the second goal coming from Godfrey at the 19:46 mark.

The tide then turned in Villanova's favor, as the Wildcats closed out the final 20 minutes on a 6-0 run to go on to the 11-6 victory. Three of those goals came from Rybinski, including the final one of the night on her free position shot at 1:42.

The Leopards remain at home and open Patriot League play on Saturday when they host Navy at 1 p.m.