APRIL 22, 2017

KING'S WOMEN'S LACROSSE HOLDS ON FOR 15-13 VICTORY OVER EASTERN

WILKES-BARRE --  The King's College women's lacrosse team built a 10-5 half-time lead and held off a second-half rally by visiting Eastern University to hold on for an important 15-13 Freedom Conference victory Saturday at McCarthy Stadium.

With the win King's inched closer to clinching a post-season conference tournament berth as the Lady Monarchs improved to 7-7 overall and 3-2 in league play, Eastern, meanwhile, slipped to 3-11 and 1-4 in conference games.

King's opened the scoring just 1:05 into the game when Gabrielle Morrocu scored off a Megan O'Brien assist. After Eastern tied the game at 1-1, King's rattled off four straight goals by Anastasia Araviakis, Amanda Carroll, Tabitha Truelson, and Morrocu to forge ahead 5-1. 

The Eagles countered with two goals to close to within 5-3, but King's used another four-goal run as Araviakis scored twice, Morrocu added her third of the day, and Katy Higinbothom struck net to give the Lady Monarchs a 9-3 lead with 4:47 left in the first half.

Eastern netted two more goals to cut the gap to 9-4, but Morrocu answered with her fourth goal of the half with 1:16 on the clock to give King's a 10-5 lead at the break.

In the second stanza the teams traded scores on the next four goals as King's maintained a 12-7 lead with 16:52 to play. But Eastern battled back and closed to within 14-11 with 7:19 left. The Lady Monarchs, however, used a Megan O'Brien goal with 3:33 on the clock to extend the lead to 15-11.

Eastern scored twice more, the last goal coming with 1:25 to play as King's walked away with the win.

Araviakis led King's with five goals, one assist, and seven ground balls while Morrocu followed with four goals, one assist, and five draws in her final home game as a King's senior. Carroll, Higinbothom, and O'Brien each contributed one goal and one assist. Also playing their final home game, Victoria Zawacki had six saves in net for King's while twin sister Brianna Zawacki had three ground balls.

Eastern was led by Liz Brennan with six goals and one assist while Anna Charleboise posted four goals and two assists.

King's travels to DeSales Tuesday at 5:00 PM in Center Valley. The Lady Monarchs will clinch a Freedom Conference Tournament berth with a victory.