Release courtesy of Sports Information Intern, Vin Rinella

GLASSBORO, N.J. – Clutch goals in the fourth quarter powered the University of Scranton women's lacrosse team (5-2) past Rowan University (3-5) in a thrilling 12-11 victory on Thursday afternoon at the Rowan Lax & Soccer Complex in Glassboro.

Senior Kayleigh Stalter (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook) gave the Royals the lead for good with 2:55 to play and the visitors were able to hold on for the victory.

Rowan got on the board first just four minutes into the first quarter, scoring on a free position shot against junior goalie Lauren Boldis (Merrick, N.Y. / Sanford H. Calhoun). The Profs added another goal two minutes later, extending their lead to 2-0. Scranton got themselves on the board at the 7:10 mark as senior Grace Lane (Long Beach, N.Y. / Sacred Heart Academy) found the back of the net to pull the Royals within one. Rowan responded less than two minutes later, however, with two goals in under a minute, pushing their lead back to two.

Later in the first quarter, Lane and freshman Eileen Hewitt (Downingtown, Pa / Downingtown East) both capitalized on free position shots, bringing the Royals within one goal with 3 minutes to go in the quarter, but Rowan would answer quickly again, scoring another goal and extending their lead to 5-3 to end the first.

The Royals started to catch fire in the second quarter, outscoring the Profs 3-0. Senior Erin Reich (Rockville Centre, N.Y. / South Side) pulled the Royals within one at the 11:26 mark and Hewitt tied the game at 5-5 with her second goal of the afternoon six minutes later. Lane then tallied her second goal of the game just 40 seconds following Hewitt's goal, giving the Royals their first lead of the day at 6-5 going into the half.

Scranton continued to ride the momentum at the start of the third quarter as Hewitt scored again, extending the lead to 7-5,  scoring just a couple of minutes into the second half. Senior Devyn Tanajewski (Ringwood, N.J. / Lakeland Regional) got in on the action with 10:49 left in the third, scoring her first goal of the day on a free position shot, marking the fifth unanswered goal from the Royals since the start of the second quarter.

Rowan continued to battle, however, and scored their first goal since the first quarter at the 10:01 mark. That would be the start of a 4-goal run for the Profs, erasing what was a three-goal deficit and giving them a 9-8 lead. The Royals would eventually end that run with 1:31 to go in the third as Lane scored her fourth goal of the day, tying the game at nine apiece with fifteen minutes left to go.

Freshman Jillian Lopez (Sayville, N.Y. / St. Anthony's) put Scranton back in front at the beginning of the fourth quarter, making it a 10-9 game for the time being. However, Rowan would respond again this time with back-to-back goals with six minutes to play, retaking an 11-10 lead.

At the 4:40 mark, Reich scored her second goal of the game to tie the game at 11 apiece and set the stage for Stalter's afore-mentioned game-winner.

Lane led the team with four goals and Hewitt scored three times while coming up with five draw control wins and three ground balls in the contest. Lopez led the team with six draw control wins and scored a goal, and Boldis made five saves in the win.

The Royals are back in action Saturday at home against Juniata with action set to begin at 1:00 pm at Weiss Field in Scranton.

--ROYALS--