EASTON, Pa. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University lacrosse team tried to come back from an early deficit but was unable to complete the comeback on a rainy day at Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pa., as the Eagles dropped a close, 7-6, decision to host Lafayette College Saturday, March 9. The Eagles (2-3) saw their two-game winning streak come to an end as the Leopards (3-3) built a 5-2 halftime lead before hanging on for the win.
 
How It Happened
Eastern took the lead first as Sydney Lawrence (Plano, Texas/Plano East/Oregon) netted her first of the day with 13:26 remaining in the opening quarter. Despite outshooting its foes, Eastern was unable to score again on the opening stanza as the Leopards netted three in a row to take a 3-1 lead. In the second quarter, Lawrence earned a free-position shot and found the back of the net to cut into the lead, but two woman-up goals staked the hosts to a 5-2 lead at intermission.
 
Following the halftime break, Mackenzie Blackwell (North Beach, Md./Northern) scored her team-leading 19th goal of the season, this time on a free-position shot, before Avery Schwab (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin-Scioto) worked her way in front of the cage and scored. Those two goals, coupled with the defense holding the Leopards scoreless, made it 5-4 at the end of the third.
 
In the final period, LC took a 6-4 lead after the Eagles thought they had tied things, but an Amber Alderman (Lusby, Md./Patuxent) goal was wiped away on a stick infraction with the Leopards going down the field and scoring, making it a two-goal swing. Despite the misfortune, the Eagles hung tough with Ally Moore (Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon Regional) scoring her first collegiate goal with 7:16 remaining to make it 6-5. After another LC goal, Kelsea Dague (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) scored with 5:04 remaining to make it 7-6. The Eagles had a pair of chances to even the score but were unable and saw the game end at 7-6.
 
Game Notes
»  Eastern fell to 2-3 on the year while Lafayette improved to 3-3.
»  The 13 combined goals scored are the fewest in any game the Eagles have played in program history. The previous low was 19 goals combined, which happened three times last season, the most recent coming in a 10-9 loss at home to Akron, April 22, 2023.
»  The seven goals allowed mark the third consecutive game in which the defense has limited its opponent to single-digit scoring after allowing five to Howard, Feb. 25, and six to Delaware State, Feb. 28. Eastern held opponents to single-digit scoring just once in 2023 when it downed DSU, 12-7, March 7, 2023, for the program's first win.
»  Freshman Ally Moore scored the first goal of her collegiate career. Her tally came with 7:16 remaining in the to bring the Eagles to within one once against, 6-5.
»  Freshman Maddie Porter (Montrose, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) made her second career start in goal and stopped seven shots on the day while allowing just seven goals. The rookie also helped keep the Leopards scoreless in the third quarter as Eastern cut into a 5-2 deficit to make it 5-4 heading into the final stanza.
»  The league leaders in assists, the Eagles were not credited with an assist on any of the six scores in the contest.
 
Historical Notes
»  The game at Lafayette was the first meeting in the series.
 
Up Next
The Eagles return to action Friday, March 15, with their home opener as Eastern is set to play host to Butler University at Scicluna Field in Ypsilanti. The first draw between the Eagles and Bulldogs is scheduled for 12 p.m.