March 15, 2012
Women's Lacrosse Pummels the Widener Pride in 320 Showdown, 18-9
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Swarthmore women's lacrosse team (3-1) continued its offensive dominance with an 18-9 victory over 320 Challenge rival Widener (2-2) on a blustery evening at Clothier Field.
Junior Annalise Penikis led the offensive charge with five goals and two assists. Junior Nicole Vanchieri added four goals and two assists and junior Corinne Sommi had three goals and one assist. Other goal scorers include freshman Sara Lentrichhia (3), Lucy Whitacre (2), and Emma Sipperly (1).
For the Pride, junior Julia Costello led the team with three goals. Junior Laura Kalbech and senior Jen Harnden each scored two goals.
After a few minutes of frantic play, Widener struck first at 27:23 when senior Rachel Porter scored an unassisted goal. But the Garnet was able to settle things down and quickly went to work.
In fact, the team managed to score five goals in about two minutes. Vanchieri got things started with an unassisted goal at 25:54 and Penikis followed with another unassisted goal at 25:38. Sommi would make it 3-1 with the third unassisted goal of the night at 25:01.
Soon after, Swarthmore was able to capitalize off a foul, when Lentricchia scored off of a free position shot at 24:34. Eight seconds later Nicole Vanchieri scored off a beautiful assist from Sommi, making the game 5-1 at 23:48.
Whitacre lanced one in the back of the net off of another great assist, this time from Vanchieri, at 23:05. Forty seconds later Lentrichhia put one in from an assist from Penikis, making the game 8-1 in the Garnet's favor at 21:58.
Less than thirty seconds later it was Vanchieri would score unassisted to put the Garnet even further ahead at 9-1. But Widener wouldn't give up.
The Pride took advantage of several Garnet fouls to go an a four goal answer to the Garnet. Kalbach scored two free position goals within a minute (17:32, 16:38). Julia Costello also scored off of a free position shot (12:37) and she added an unassisted goal after that to make the score 9-5 in Swarthmore's favor.
Sommi put a halt to the Pride's charge, scoring a good goal from a laser of a pass from freshman Elyse Tierney to make the game 10-5 at 9:01.
Lucry Whitacre followed a minute and a half later with a nice bounce shot leading to an unassisted goal at 7:14 to make the game 11-5.
The Pride would get one more goal in during the first half. Harnden made it 11-6 thanks to an assist from Porter.
The Garnet scored three goals before the close of the half. Penikis tallied one off of a free position shot (3:45), Sipperly scored unassisted (1:45), and Vanchieri snuck one in in the final thirty seconds (0:24) to end the half ahead 14-6.
In the second half, it would be the Garnet to strike first. Penikis scored off of a free position at 27:18 to make it 15-6 and Lentrichhia added one less than a minute later thanks to an assist from Penikis at 26:37.
Widener would take advantage of a Garnet foul at 23:37 when Costello scored off of a free position to make the score 16-7.
Sommi would also capitalize off of a free position to put the Garnet up 17-7 at 20:37.
Widener had an answer with an unassisted goal from Harnden at 18:58. After a bout of scoreless play, the Pride scored again thanks to a goal from freshman Pinky Schneider at 11:21.
The Garnet would be held to only one more goal in the half which came from Penikis at 6:15 from an assist from Vanchieri.
Leading the defensive effort for the Garnet was Maddie Williams with six ground balls, three draw controls, and five caused turnovers. Pride goalie senior Megan Dunn had a commendable second half performance in goal with nine saves.
The women hope to keep the momentum going when they take open up their Centennial Conference schedule against the Ursinus Bears in Collegeville. Action is slated for 3:00 p.m.
