FARMVILLE, Va. ? The Presbyterian College women's lacrosse team played virtually even with Long Island for a half, but the designated visitors pulled away late en route to a 17-11 victory.

The Blue Hose now stand at 1-7 on the season while LIU improves to 1-3 on the season.

Jenna Handshoe scored a game-high five goals in the losing effort in addition to assisting on two goals for a game-best seven points.

Brittni Dulaney tallied two goals and an assist for three points while Laura Meade found the back of the net on two occasions. Jordan Newberry and Kirstin Stenoien each had a goal while Katie Prisco dished out an assist.

Erin McBurnette thwarted 16 shots in the complete-match effort. Jill Parker, Alyson Whitley, Dulaney and Handshoe all scooped up four ground balls apiece.

Long Island jumped out to a three-goal lead over the first seven and a half minutes of play.  However, the PC defense stepped up, not allowing another score for over 12 minutes of play. During that scoreless drought by the designated visitor, head coach Kristina Llanes' team tallied its first goal of the contest.

At the 12:32 mark in the opening stanza, Prisco found a cutting Handshoe, slicing the deficit to two, 3-1.

After LIU's goal at the 10:11 mark that put the score at 4-1, the Blue Hose mounted a tremendous comeback. PC netted the next five goals, making the score 6-4 in favor of the home team.

With 9:38 to go, Handshoe connected on a free position shot, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Then, 2:21 later, Handshoe dished out a beautiful pass to Meade, who dropped in the goal while making the score 4-3 in favor of LIU.

With 5:05 to play in the first half, Dulaney drilled a free position shot to even the score. As the Blue Hose seized the momentum, the team took a one-goal lead with 3:53 to play. That's when Dulaney made a solid pass to Stenoien, who promptly found the back of the net. Just 43 seconds later, Handshoe notched her fourth point of the half (third goal) for the 6-4 advantage.

After two minutes of scoreless play, LIU closed the half with three goals in 55 seconds, putting the squad up 7-6 at the break.

PC fell behind 8-6 less than two minutes into the second half. However, the team did not give up, tallying a score at the 27:44 mark and again with 22:55 to play. The goals were scored by Meade and Dulaney, which tied the score at 8-8.

The teams traded free position shots the following minute of play, making the score 9-9. However, LIU ran off three straight goals to take what seemed to be like an insurmountable lead.

Down 12-9, Handshoe connected on an unassisted goal before pulling within one on a free position shot with 5:30 to go. From that point forward, PC was unable to score as LIU tallied the last five scores of the contest.

The Blue Hose return to action Friday when they host Marist in a noon-time contest.