Women's Lacrosse Wins Third Straight, 11-9 at Monmouth

Wednesday, March 1

West Long Branch, N.J.

3 p.m.

Drexel University

3-1

Monmouth

1-4

Drexel

Monmouth

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Lacrosse Wins Third Straight, 11-9 at Monmouth

3/1/2017 6:26:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Drexel women's lacrosse team won its third straight and second consecutive game on the road as the Dragons held off Monmouth on Wednesday afternoon, 11-9. The Dragons (3-1) trailed midway through the second half, but scored five of the game's last seven goals to seal the victory.

Lisa Rogers pulled the Dragons even with 17:52 to play with her sixth goal of the season, then gave them a lead they would not relinquish nine minutes later. The senior playing her first season with the Dragons has scored multiple goals in each of her last three games.

Nadia Pelham-Lacey led all scorers with three goals and six points, her third consecutive effort with at least five points. Devin Nihill registered her second hat trick of the season with three goals of her own and picked up three draws with two ground balls. Caroline Thiele chipped in a goal and an assist, while Alex Beilman and Maggie Stetson each netted goals in the final minutes that helped Drexel escape with the victory.

Drexel, which has not allowed a team to score more than nine goals in a game yet this year, became the first team to hold Monmouth (1-4) to single-digit goals through five games for the Hawks in 2017. Eva Winiarski had a pair of draw controls and two caused turnovers, and Dominique Nyzio created a pair of Monmouth turnovers herself. Carlee Ries came up with four saves including one with 4:39 to play that kept the Dragons in front.

Monmouth got on the board first, but the Dragons answered back with a pair of Nihill goals, both helped by feeds from Pelham-Lacey, to give them a 2-1 edge with 16:40 to play in the first half. After Olivia Higson scored the first goal of what would be a hat trick for the Hawks, Drexel made it a 4-2 game with unassisted goals out of the sticks of Thiele and Pelham-Lacey just over a minute apart.

The Hawks responded with the final two goals of the first half, but Pelham-Lacey got the scoring opened in the second with her team-leading 11th goal of the year with 25:27 to play. However, the high-powered Monmouth offense scored twice in the next 2:25 to take a 6-5 lead.

Drexel had not found itself in a shootout yet this season, and while the score was still relatively low, the Dragons needed an answer. They got it when Pelham-Lacey once again fed Nihill for the senior's ninth tally of the year with 21:00 to play. But after a Drexel yellow card gave the Hawks an advantage, they made it count with Higson's second goal of the afternoon.

Nihill, who had taken the card for Drexel, made up for it when she won the ensuing draw. The Dragons raced down the field and, after a foul, Rogers found the back of the net for the first of her two critical goals. Drexel was back even at 7-7, and after a prolonged stretch which included two Ries saves, took the lead back on another Pelham-Lacey score with 10:17 to play.

This Dragons' lead was once again short-lived, as Monmouth gained possession and found Higson for the equalizer just 1:22 later.

Again Nihill was there to win the important draw for the Dragons. She once again sprinted into the offensive end and draw a foul, but her free position shot sailed high. Drexel retained possession though, and found the senior Rogers who scored seconds later to put the Dragons in front for good.

Alex Beilman scored what would prove to be the game-winner with 6:57 to play, giving the Dragons a 10-8 lead at the time. Monmouth made one final push, scoring and winning the draw with a chance to tie. But Ries' save and a key caused turnover by Nyzio gave Drexel the ball back with just over three minutes to play. Maggie Stetson put the stamp on the game with her fourth goal of the year to provide the final margin.

Drexel will now bring its three-game win streak back to Vidas Field, where the Dragons will host Rutgers on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.