CLINTON, S.C. - Erin McBurnette stopped 20 shots, including several late shots
in the closing minutes, helping Presbyterian College defeat Bryant College in a
13-11 contest Tuesday afternoon at Old Bailey Stadium.
The Blue Hose (1-6) were led by Katie Prisco's four goals and an assist. Jenna
Handshoe also accounted for five points on three goals and two assists. Brittni
Dulaney had two goals and two assists and Shannon Hartford dished out three
assists. Susie Branson accounted for three points on a goal and two assists.
Laura Meade, Liz Davis and Lauren Lefeber all turned in a goal.
Prisco started the scoring for the contest with a free position goal just 2:02.
The Bulldogs tied the contest two minutes later only to see the Blue Hose roar
back with a goal 11 seconds after the tie happened. On PC's second goal,
Shannon Hartford rifled a pass to Dulaney, who quickly turned and fired the
shot for the one-goal lead.
Up 2-1, PC forced a turnover that McBurnette quickly recovered. She flinged the
ball to Lefeber, who then proceeded to go coast to coast, drilling the shot for
a 3-1 advantage.
The fourth PC student-athlete got on the board with 20:28 to play in the half
when Hartford tallied her second assist, finding fellow rookie Susie Branson
for the score.
The teams traded goals in the 11th minute of the contest with
Allison Faiola bringing the visitors back within two, 4-2. However, Prisco
pushed the margin back to three after she converted a pass from Branson for a
5-2 lead.
The Bulldogs rattled off three straight goals, tying the contest with 6:02 to
go in the half. However, Jenna Handshoe helped the Blue Hose regain the lead at
5:22 when Prisco saw her open just feet away from the cage. Handshoe took the
pass and easily played it past the keeper.
Prisco then scored her second goal of the day with 2:06 to play in the half.
Liz Davis' free position goal with 14 seconds left to play in the first half
put the home team ahead 8-6 heading into the second period.
Bryant opened the final stanza by scoring four of the first six goals,
including one just 34 seconds into the period by Lauren Sheridan. After the
visitors pulled within one, Handshoe connected with Meade for a goal and a 9-7
advantage.
Bryant tied it at nine on Antionette Lombardi's unassisted goal. However,
Handshoe had the answer as she scored with 20:12 left in the contest. Dulaney
was credited with an assist.
The Bulldogs would continue to fight back, knotting the score at 10 apiece on
Allison Faiola's marker with 16:48 to play. Once again, Handshoe rose to the
challenge. She found Prisco open with just under 11 minutes to play. Prisco
played a beautiful shot past the keeper for an 11-10 advantage.
Over the next six minutes, McBurnette turned away a flurry of shots by the
visitors. Then, Dulaney pushed the margin to 12-10 on a goal with 3:55 to play.
Branson was credited with an assist on the play.
Bryant, however, would not go away. The Bulldogs pawed their way back into the
game, making the score 12-11 with 1:17 to play.
The Blue Hose gained control of the ball and with six seconds to play, Hartford
found Handshoe, who sealed the win with the final score of the day.
In addition to McBurnette's 20 saves, she also picked up three ground balls.
Melinda Vasconcellos scooped up a team-high six ground balls while Prisco and
Megan Woodis each had five. Jill Parker posted three ground balls, but
accounted for a team-high five draw controls and forced a turnover.
Woodis, Prisco, Vasconcellos, MucBurnette and Anne Lamb Crosby all tied for the
team lead with two caused turnovers.
The Blue Hose return to action March 13 at Cincinnati. The match is slated for
a noon start.
