Carroll's Career-High Six Points Help Women's Lacrosse Fend Off Knights

Written by Joshua Soto (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Newburgh, NY|Behind a career-best five goals and seven points from junior attack Kristin Carroll, the St. Joseph's College (L.I.) women's lacrosse team earned a hard-fought 13-12 victory over Skyline Conference foe Mount St. Mary's College at Kaplan Field on Saturday Afternoon.

With the win the Golden Eagles improve to 4-8 (3-1 Skyline) as the Knight slide to 3-5 (2-1).

Carroll got the scoring started for the Golden Eagles tallying the contest first goal less than a minute after the opening whistle. After a forced turnover by Sam Caruso, the Golden Eagles brought the ball back to their offensive zone when Nicole Stoppelli fed the ball to Caroll who tallied her second goal of the contest to take a 2-0 lead at the 26:12 mark. Mount St. Mary answered back less than a minute after to cut its deficit in half. At 23:13, Carroll netted her third goal of the contest for the hat trick before Stoppelli's netted a goal of her own to put SJC ahead 4-1 with 20 minutes left in the half. The Knights tallied three consecutive goals in the 19th, 18th, and 16th minute to tie the game up 4-4.

Diana Johnston gave SJC its second lead of the afternoon but a MSMC goal at the 13:10 tied the game up once more at five. The Knights pulled ahead of the Golden Eagles with 4:35 in the first half but Johnston took advantage of a free position attempt to tie the game at six. In the final moments of the first, MSMC earned its second lead of the contest, 7-6, but 10 seconds later Carroll answered right back off a free position shot to close out the half with a 7-7 tie.

The second half began in a back-and-forth battle with SJC opening the scoring in the second courtesy of a Tricia Barrett goal of an assist by Carroll in the 27th minute. MSMC's Katie Gattoni fired a goal for the game's five tie of the afternoon. Stoppelli's second goal gave SJC a 9-8 at 25:45 but Gattoni fired a game-tying goal 20 seconds later to even the score 9-9.

With 22:58 left to play, Kreuscher tallied her first goal of the contest and just 10 seconds later Carroll continued with the hot stick and fired her fifth tally to give the Golden Eagles an 11-9 lead. At 21:56, Johnston gave SJC a three-point lead (12-9) scoring off the sticks of Kreuscher.

The Knights inched back into the game, 12-10, scoring with 18:16 remaining, but Stoppelli tallied her third goal to give SJC another three-point lead (13-10).

With the hosts down by three, the Knight pulled within two at 6:58 and 13 seconds later they would score again to pull within one (13-12).  The Golden Eagles defense held MSMC to zero shots in the last five minutes to pull away with the 13-12 win.

Carroll set a career-high in points (7) and goals (5) and was credited with two assists. Johnston and Stoppelli both contributed with three goals.

The Golden Eagles continue conference play when they travel to Riverdale, NY to take on Mount St. Vincent on Tuesday, April 11 at 4:00 PM.  Live stats will be available here.