Crutchfield Nets Four Goals in 23-6 Loss at No. 3 West Chester
Mar. 27, 2007
WEST CHESTER, Pa. -
Shippensburg lacrosse junior Kristin Crutchfield (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty) scored
four of Shippensburg's six goals, but it wasn't nearly enough as the Lady
Raiders dropped a 23-6 decision at third-ranked West Chester on Tuesday
afternoon in a match-up of two of the top four teams in the PSAC.
Crutchfield's first goal at 2:27 tied the game at 1-1, before Shippensburg (1-2,
1-1 PSAC) fell behind 12-1 with 6:14 remaining in the first half after the Golden
Rams scored 11 consecutive goals.
The Lady Raiders held their own with West Chester (4-0, 3-0 PSAC) over the final
5:10 of the first half as each team scored twice, but the Golden Rams took an
11-goal advantage into halftime, leading 14-3.
West Chester, the three-time defending PSAC champions and NCAA Division II runner-up
a year ago, had four players with at least three goals, led by Chrissy Kane who
had four. Reigning PSAC Player of the Week Jackie Baker netted three goals and
finished with a game-high six points after also adding three assists.
The Golden Rams amassed a total of 45 shots on goal compared to just 11 for Shippensburg
and had 22 draw controls to only eight for the Lady Raiders.
After West Chester scored the first four goals of the second half to increase
its lead to 15, 18-3 with 20:57 left, Shippensburg scored three of the next four,
led by its two leading scorers in Crutchfield and junior Kelly Smith
(Crownsville,
Md./Old Mill).
However, the Golden Rams scored its final four goals in a span of 5:45 to end
the game, three of which came from Amelia Reed, as West Chester sealed its 14th
consecutive conference victory.
Smith and freshman Leigh Mellon (Paoli/Great Valley) each had one goal for Shippensburg
with all six of the Lady Raiders' goals being unassisted.
Sophomore Beth Long (Berwyn/Conestoga) made her first appearance of the season
for Shippensburg after missing the first two contests due to injury and also
her first career appearance in goal.
Long, the starting goalkeeper on the women's soccer team, totaled 11:38 in between
the pipes, allowing five goals while making two saves, before she was replaced
by sophomore Brittany Franzen (Waterford, Va./St. John's at Prospect
Hall) who
played the final 48:22.
Shippensburg returns to action on Thursday when it travels to Philadelphia University
for a 4:00 p.m., contest at Ravenhill Field. The Lady Rams opened their season
on March 22 with a 22-4 victory on the road at Wilmington (Delaware).
- Lady Raider Lacrosse -
