Green Terror has final say in back-and-forth battle with 19th-ranked Stevenson

WESTMINSTER, Md. – Erinn Hopkins (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) converted a free-position goal with 52.6 seconds remaining to break a 7-all deadlock and lift McDaniel to an 8-7 victory over No. 19 Stevenson in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Tuesday.

Brittany Baer (Manchester, Md./Westminster) and Brittany Lines (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) each recorded two goals for the Green Terror (4-0), who had finished on the top side of a see-saw battle.

Lisa Baker and Kirstin Gancarz each tallied twice for the Mustangs (5-1), who had two shots at the equalizer in the final 45 seconds but the final two of Leanne Hollinger's (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) 13 saves preserved the win.

After a scoreless first 13:58, Baker finished a Megan Weiss feed to open the scoring.

Baer responded a minute and a half later to even the game at 1-all before Gancarz needed just 44 seconds to put Stevenson back in front.

Anna Beaudry (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) evened the game for the second time on a free-position shot at the 19:40 mark before Gancarz finished the second of Weiss's two feed 1:02 later.

Lisa Jurd (Columbia, Md./Hammond) evened the game at 3-all before Baker once again put the Mustangs on top.

A long Baer shot from the left side 17.1 seconds before the intermission made it 4-all at the break.

Back-to-back goals from Lines 35 seconds apart gave the hosts a 6-4 lead just 6:40 into the second half.

Baker completed her hat trick with 20:03 to play before Paige Messersmith (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) once again made it a two-goal game.

Gancarz pulled the Mustangs within one with 6:41 to play before Brittany Connelly evened the game just 55 seconds later.

Awarded a free-position attempt with 56.1 seconds on the clock, Hopkins took off from the top of the arc and fired low for the game-winner.

Stevenson finished with a slim 28-27 advantage in shots while McDaniel picked up 23 ground balls to the Mustangs' 16.

Jenny Schroeder made 13 saves for Stevenson.

Baer added five draw controls for the Green Terror while Erin McDonnell (Cockeysville, Md./Maryvale Prep), who had an assist, and Emma Ardolino (Freeland, Md./Hereford) picked up five ground balls each.

McDaniel returns to action against Connecticut College in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday. Game time is 4:30 p.m.

Score by Period                                    1            2            -            F
No. 19 Stevenson (5-1)                                    4            3            -            7
McDaniel (4-0)                                                4            4            -            8

Goals
Stevenson: Lisa Baker 3, Kirstin Gancarz 3, Brittany Connelly.
McDaniel: Brittany Baer 2, Brittany Lines 2, Lisa Jurd, Paige Messersmith, Erinn Hopkins, Anna Beaudry.

Assists
Stevenson: Megan Weiss 2, Baker, Gancarz, Lauren Zegowitz.
McDaniel: Erin McDonnell.

Shots: S 28, M 27. Ground Balls: S 16, M 23. Goalies: S (Jenny Schroeder – 13 saves, 8 GA), M (Leanne Hollinger – 13 saves, 7 GA). Caused Turnovers: S 5, M 7. Turnovers: S 21, M 17. Draw Controls: S 9, M 8. Free Position: S 0 of 4, M 2 of 4.

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