FAIRFAX, Va. - The La Salle lacrosse squad cut a six-goal deficit in half with three late goals, but time expired on the rally as the Explorers dropped a 12-9 decision at George Mason on Friday afternoon.
Katelyn Fay led the Explorer attack with four goals, and is now just three points shy of hitting the 100-point mark for her career.
Caitlyn Brostrand added two scores;
Claire Andrews,
Kelly Furman and
Rachel Ceplo added one each for the Explorers (5-5, 1-1 Atlantic 10).
Mason's Caitlin McGinn tied for game-high honors with four goals. Melissa Lobaccaro added three goals and an assist to help lead the Patriots (7-4, 2-1 Atlantic 10).
Fay opened scoring just over a minute into the game to give the Explorers their only lead of the game. Mason rattled off five straight after that to take a 5-1 lead midway through the first half. Fay stopped the Mason run with her second goal of the game at 12:37.
The Patriots responded with a goal with just under 10 minutes to regain a four-goal 6-2 lead. Brostrand got on the board with 4:06 remaining, and Fay added her third goal with just two seconds before the halftime buzzer for a 6-4 score at the break.
Mason rattled off three straight in the first nine minutes of the second half to push ahead 9-4. Brostrand scored again at 19:43, but Lobaccaro hit two in the row for the Patriots to gain their largest lead of the game at 11-5.
Furman scored at 12:27, and neither squad found the back of the net for over seven minutes after that. Caitlin McGinn scored a woman-up goal at 5:03 to break the scoreless drought to match the Patriots' largest lead of the game at 12-6
Following an Explorer timeout, the Blue & Gold went to work. Ceplo scored with 3:51 remaining, and Andrews drained a goal just 42 seconds later to get the Explorers within 12-8 with just over three minutes. Fay added a fourth goal 45 seconds later to draw within three goals. The 12-9 score held up down the stretch.
Gabby Antonelli took the loss in goal, making four saves. Mason's Taylor Carpentier stopped five shots while picking up the win.
The Patriots outshot the Explorers 24-19, and dominated the draw controls 14-7. The squads were even in ground balls, scooping up seven each.
The Explorers remain on the road for two more Atlantic 10 games, playing at St. Bonaventure next Friday and Duquesne next Sunday.
