WINCHESTER, Va. - The Dickinson women's lacrosse team built up an early 4-0 lead and withstood a six-goal second-half run by the host Shenandoah University to earn a hard-fought 12-11 non-conference road win over the Hornets at Aikens Stadium.

The Red Devils made their first shot of the game count just 1:48 in when first-year Bella Guckes continued her strong start to the year with a feed to Delaney Herbert who beat Ashley MacFarlane for the lead. After Ali Broome claimed the ensuing draw control a yellow card was issued to Agata Gullace resulting in a player-up tally by Herbert (Riley Kuehn assist). Dickinson continued to lock things down defensively as they kept the home side shotless for the opening seven minutes, while Liv Yeagle and Kuehn each got two shots off forcing a pair of MacFarlane saves. Dickinson keeper Peyton VanDorpe was up to the task on the first two shots she faced denying both Reilly Cisar and Emma Stiffler. Mia Seergae picked up a loose ball off the VanDorpe save, leading to an offensive opportunity for DC and a marker for Liz Barroll extending the margin to 3-0. Another VanDorpe stop allowed the visitors to cash in for the fourth time thanks to Yeagle from Guckes. VanDorpe would record saves five and six of the period, before Ashley Buckner broke through with seven-seconds left.

Buckner cut the margin to 4-2 just over a minute into the second. Two minutes later Dickinson would put a halt to the Hornets two-goal charge as Guckes netted an unassisted marker. The Red and White kept on the attack as Faith Parker ripped two more shots towards cage, before Guckes secured another point with an assist on a Barroll goal pushing it 6-2 with 9:14 remaining in the half. In the next three minutes both teams would find the back of the net with Gabriella Raspanti and Jenna Nowland scoring for their respective sides making the score 7-3 with exactly six mintues left. VanDorpe notched her first save of the frame at the 10:16 mark turning aside Buckner, resulting in Herbert tickling the twine 40-seconds later. The Devils goalie tallied two more stops over the final 100-seconds to leave the score at 8-3 heading to the third. 

Dickinson would hold a six-goal advantage twice within the first four minutes of the third on tallies by Kuehn (9-3) and Yeagle (10-4), which sandwiched a marker from Cisar. A giveaway from Izzy and a foul by Caroline Tone, led to Stiffler netting a free-position goal trimming the gap back to five at 10-5 with 9:37 to go. Dickinson was held shotless over the next five minutes, while VanDorpe had the answer against both Paige Padberg and Madison Re. With 11-minutes off the clock Yeagle had an attempt knocked away by MacFarlane, before getting her revenge and bumping the gap out to six again (11-5). Shenandoah began their six-goal run during the last two minutes of the third with goals from Re and Stiffler cutting the deficit to 11-7 going to the fourth. 

It took the Hornets just 22-seconds to find the first marker of the fourth when Padberg netted her second. Dickinson tried to find an immediate response as Parker won the ensuing draw leading to a pair of Herbert shots and one MacFarlane save holding the score at 11-8. The Red and White were held without a shot over the next seven minutes, while the home side completed their 6-0 rampage with three goals in a two minute span to make it 11-11 with 8:17 remaining. VanDorpe had the answer on the next shot she saw at the 8:35 mark to preserve the 11-11 draw. That save then led to the Devils claiming the momentum recording the next five shots ultimately resulting in Syd MacKeigan burying the game-winner with 2:42 left as Shenandoah would get a look from Re in the last minute, but missed high to end the contest.

Red Devil Leaders
Goals - Herbert and Yeagle (3), Barroll (2)
Assists - Guckes (3)
Groundballs - Herbert (4), Seergae and VanDorpe (3)
Saves - VanDorpe (13)

Hornet Leaders 
Goals - Stiffler (4), Buckner (2)
Assists - Stiffler (3)
Groundballs - MacFarlane (4), Fohner (3)
Saves - MacFarlane (11)

Next on the Field
Dickinson (4-0) will attempt to run their streak to five-straight on Saturday evening at 5pm when the Red and White battle St. Mary's University of Maryland at the USA Lacrosse Facility in Sparks, Maryland. Read Full Article