JOHN GALLAGHER
SPORTS EDITOR
In its final game before Easter break, the Franciscan women’s lacrosse team played arguably its best game of the season thus far, dominating Westminster College in the form of a 14-2 victory on April 10.
The Lady Barons found themselves off to a fast start on the afternoon, registering four goals before four minutes had passed in the first half. Two of those four came from the stick of junior midfielder Mary Krolicki, an anchor for the squad all season. Sophomore attackman Carly McDonald also got in on the early action, assisting Krolicki’s first goal, and scoring a second one herself only twenty five seconds later.
McDonald scored a second time to put Franciscan up 5-0 with more than twenty five minutes to play before halftime. Another goal by Krolicki, and scores by freshman attackman Elaine Kelly and sophomore midfielder Elizabeth McEntee, added to a lead the team wouldn’t relinquish.
With 7:38 left in the half, two more Lady Barons got in on the scoring: senior attackman Anne Foster contributed the tenth straight point for Franciscan, assisted by sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Dawyot.
Ample scoring opportunities and quality shutout defense by goalkeeper Brittany Bain, a sophomore out of Lexington Park, Maryland, allowed Franciscan to play the second half with a comfortable lead.
Thirty-two seconds into second half action, it was defense contributing to offense. After a successful draw control by Dawyot, senior defenseman Elizabeth Giroux recorded a goal against the Westminster goalie. Dawyot notched a goal herself nearly eight minutes later, courtesy of a Foster assist off a Westminster turnover.
Westminster finally got on the board with 20:48 left to play in regulation, as the non-conference opponent finally slipped a goal past Bain’s otherwise airtight defensive efforts. Exactly three minutes removed from Westminster’s score, Krolicki scored her third goal of the competition, to return the lead to 12. Dawyot and McEntee would each score an additional goal before the game’s conclusion, and the Lady Barons would surrender one final goal with 5:57 remaining.
The win was the fourth straight for the Lady Barons, and featured sophomore Elizabeth Jordan’s six caused turnovers, each shifting the momentum back Franciscan’s way. Franciscan next faces off against Washington & Jefferson College on April 26 at 3:00 p.m.