NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Tied at 8-8 with 20 minutes remaining in the second half, Jessica Stratton and Kory Webster scored back-to-back goal to take the lead for good as the Wilmington University women's lacrosse team pulled out a 13-11 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory over Holy Family on Tuesday afternoon at the Kirkwood Soccer Complex.
Kaitlyn Hall stood on her head in goal for the Wildcats (5-1, 2-0 CACC), making 23 saves between the pipes to help a Wilmington team defeat Holy Family (2-3, 1-1 CACC) for the first time since April 7, 2009. Hall recorded seven saves on free position shots alone to improve to 4-1 in goal on the year.
Twin sister Jaclyn Hall her sister in goal by leading the offense with three goals for the Wildcats. It is her first hat trick as a Wildcat, since both of them came over after playing two years at Harford Community College in Maryland. Webster, Liz Case and Ashley Kroll each contributed two goals for the Wildcats.
Trailing 7-5 at the halftime break, the Tigers scored three of the first four goals to open the second half to knot the score at 8-8 with 20:37 to play in regulation. The Tigers also closed the first half on a 3-1 scoring run to cut the deficit to two from 6-2 before the break.
Locked at 8-8, Stratton converted on a free position shot for her second goal of the season to put the Wildcats in front once again. It would be a lead they would not relinquish. Webster tallied on a connecting pass from behind the cage by Case to make it 10-8 with 17:43 to play. Webster's goal was on a man advantage, as the Wildcats converted on two of their three extra man opportunities on the day.
The Tigers got within a goal once again as Brianna Lancetta scored her second goal of the day on an unassisted tally at the 15:19 mark of the second half. But Wilmington responded with two more goals, both off the stick of Jaclyn Hall to stretch the margin back to three goals and essentially seal the deal with just less than 10 minutes left to play in the game.
The Wildcats took possession of the ball to wind down the clock, but the Tigers' Samantha Cornely cut it to 12-10 with 4:16 showing on the board on an eight-meter attempt. Molly Taylor retaliated with a swooping from the side of the net, landing in front of the crease but able to beat Holy Family goalkeeper Melissa Jenkins to push the lead back to three goals with 3:35 left to play.
Again the Wildcats tried to play the possession game and were able to keep the Tigers off the board until the final moments of the contest, as Gina Mansi scored the final goal of the game with 19 seconds left to play.
Kailtyn Hall stopped 10 Tiger shots in the second half, including multiple free position shots that could have swayed the momentum in Holy Family's direction. Taylors' goal started with a free position save by Hall at one end and the quick transition game through the midfield, turning what could have been a one goal game into a 13-10 advantage.
Case finished with two goals and an assist, matching Jaclyn Hall with three points on the day. Stratton added an assist as well for the Wildcats, tallying two points off the bench.
The Wildcats were outshot, 42-35, and had fewer draw controls, 17-9, than Holy Family, but converted on 3-of-5 free position shots and two of three extra-man opportunities to win at home.
Wilmington will return to action on Saturday, March 24 as they take to the road to battle perennial CACC power Georgian Court. The game is scheduled to start at 12 p.m.