Women's Lacrosse Falls to Scots in Season Opener
(Brighton, MI)-- There was plenty of back and forth action in the Cougar women's lacrosse season opener, but the visiting Alma College Scots would ultimately win by a score of 19-12.
Alma would score off the initial draw, just 16 seconds into the game, but Cleray's Emily Santana would answer 40 seconds later to equalize. After Alma scored the next two goals to take an 3-1 lead, Natalie Busen would score to narrow the deficit to 3-2. The two teams would trade goals over the final 4 minutes, with Santana scoring her second goal of the game with just over 2 minutes left in the opening quarter to make the score 4-3.
The Scots would take some control in the 2nd quarter, scoring the first four goals to give the visitors an 8-3 lead, but Natalie Busen would score her 2nd goal to make it 8-4. Alma scored next, while Cleary would score the next two, with goals coming from Alana Harrison (assisted by Busen) and Georgia Price to make it 9-6. The Scots would score the final goal of the half to make it 10-6.
The two teams would trade 2 goals each to start the second half, with Cleary's goals coming from Georgia Price and Mallory Tognetti. Down 4, the Scots would score 3 straight to extend their lead to 15-8, before Georgia Price scored while a man down to make it 15-9 right before the end of the quarter. In the 4th quarter, the Cougars would score the first two goals, from Georgia Price (assisted from Alexandria Zimmerman) and Mallory Tognetti to make it 15-11. Tognetti would score once more, but it would be the final goal and the Scots would go on to win 19-12.
Georgia Price led the Cougars with 4 goals, while Mallory Tognetti added 3, and Natalie Busen and Emily Santana each chipped in 2. Kennedy Stilson made 17 saves on 36 shots in goal.
Cleary will next be in action when they host the Rochester Warriors at Legacy Center in a non-conference game that is scheduled to start at 2:00 PM on Wednesay, February 16.
