ALBANY, N.Y. – Another resurgent fourth quarter offensively saw the Fairfield University women's lacrosse team score six goals in the final frame, but the comeback fell just short as they fell to UAlbany 17-13.
A total of eight players scored for the Stags Wednesday afternoon, with five two-goal scorers, including Libby Rowe who added four assists to pace the team with six points for the day. Elizabeth Talluto also netted a pair of goals, in addition to a single assist, in addition to Kyleigh Tufano who notched her first two collegiate goals in the contest. Ellie Grefenstette and Haley Burns also added two apiece, followed by a trio of players who each scored once.
Defensively, Lindsey Barnes led the way, forcing a career-best eight turnovers against the Great Danes and collected six of the Stags' 19 ground balls for the afternoon, followed by four players with two each. Rylee Harrell collected six draw controls to pace the team, followed by both Rowe and Grace Slater who each added a pair. In the cage, Casey Collins made nine saves for the Stags.
Harrell took less than two minutes to kick off the scoring in the first, before back-to-back scores by UAlbany gave them a one-goal lead. Rowe would tack on her eighth of the season just past the midway point of the opening period, but the Great Danes would score the final three goals to take a 2-5 lead after one.
In the second quarter, Fairfield opened the scoring once more off a goal by Haley Burns, but two straight from the Great Danes extended their advantage to four. Amanda Kozak got one back for the Stags with 8:05 to play in the first half from a free position try, trading a goal with the home side before Grefenstette netted another with less than five minutes to go. UAlbany would score the final three goals of the period to take an 11-5 advantage at halftime.
The Stags would open the second half with two consecutive goals from Doody and Grefenstette to cut the lead to four before a five-score run to close the third quarter. Fairfield would answer with streak of their own in the fourth quarter, beginning with a goal from Talluto and another from Tufano, the first of her collegiate career. The run would see the visitors erase the five goal run with less than a minute to go, before a final tally by UAlbany to set the final scoreline.
Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action this Saturday when they return home to host the Hofstra Pride. Opening draw is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+ from the friendly confines of Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.
