scored the final three goals to break a 9-9 tie and capture a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest against the Wilmington University women's lacrosse team, 12-9, on Tuesday afternoon at Ravenhill Field.
The Wildcats (3-7, 2-2 CACC) battled back from as large as a five-goal second half deficit to tie the game at 9-9 with 12:45 to play, but the Rams (4-5, 3-1 CACC) scored the final three goals with the game-winner coming with 11:09 to play.
The Rams scored the final two goals of the first half and started the second half with the first two goals to grab an 8-3 lead with 25:26 remaining in regulation. That's when the Wildcats turned on the offense, three straight and six of the next seven goals to tie the game with 12:45 to play.
Rebekah McCurry started the streak with her first goal of the game with 24:51 left in the second half, starting a string of three straight goals in just over three minutes. Katie Spence made it 8-5 with her eighth of the season off an assist from La'Dae Boykin with 23:58 left.
Wilmington goalkeeper Corinne Dries made a save after the Rams earned the draw control and the Wildcats took the ball down the field and scored with their second shot of their next possession as Sara LeBrun tallied her second goal of the game with 21:44 to play to cure the deficit to 8-6.
Philadelphia scored to stop the three-goal streak, but another save from Dries and a good clear led to a free position goal from McCurry with 18:18 to play, starting another string of three straight goals. McCurry secured the hat trick with her third goal of the game to make it 9-8 with 16:06 to play before Maddie Hewitt tied the game with less than 13 minutes left.
Boykin was stopped by the Rams' net minder Felicia Branagan but the Wildcats retained possession and Hewitt was fouled in the eight-meter circle to set up the game-tying free position goal with 12:45 to play.
McCurry picked up the ensuing draw control but turned the ball over and Philadelphia used their offensive possession to break the tie with 11:09 left. The Rams would not give up the lead again.
McCurry had a free position shot with 6:32 to play to tie the game at 10-10, but Branagan came up with the save and Elizabeth Marrosu came up with the ground ball and clear get the ball out of the Rams side of the field. The Rams had two shots at Dries and scored on the second opportunity, make it 11-9 with 5:39 to play. Wilmington would not get another shot off for the rest of the game.
McCurry led the Wildcats with three goals, four ground balls, six draws, and three caused turnovers, while LeBrun was the only other Wildcat to score multiple goals with two. Hewitt, Spence, Ashley Kroll, and Megan Keffer added one goal a piece in the loss.
The Wildcats earned more draws, 12-11, but were out shot, 31-25, and lost the ground ball battle, 24-19. Dries made 13 saves on 25 shots while Branagan made 11 saves on 20 shots for the Rams.
The Wildcats return home for their next contest, going outside of the CACC to square off against Millersville on Saturday. The opening draw is set for 1 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.