GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA (February 19, 2020) -- Sophomore Natasha Koslop tallied the tying and game-winning goals late and senior defender Kelly Pierce seals the win with a late caused turnover as the King's College women's lacrosse team came from behind to earn a 14-13 win over Gwynedd Mercy University in non-conference action Wednesday evening. 

The Monarchs (1-0) trailed 12-9 with less than six minutes to play, but Koslop scored her first of the season with 6:25 to go to start the King's rally. Sophomore Emily Sims pulled King's to within one at 12-11 with 5:07 left, and moments later classmate Jen O'Connor scored her first of the game to deadlock the game at 12. 

Gwynedd Mercy's Victoria Mollitor scored with 3:51 remaining to give the host Griffins (0-1) a 13-12 lead but King's earned the draw control to earn the Monarchs possession. Freshman Celia Medina had a free position shot that was wide, but on the same possession Koslop buried a pass from freshman Jess Bahnick to tie the game at 13. 

The Monarchs earned another draw control on the ensuing draw thanks to Sims' battle for the loose ball, and moments later she fed Koslop in front who buried her shot from to put King's on top 14-13. O'Connor would control the draw and following a timeout, King's was able to run the clock down to under 15 seconds. 

The Griffins got the ball back but their clear attempt was thwarted as Pierce earned her eighth and final caused turnover of the game to clinch the win for King's. 

The early going of the contest was a back-and-forth affair, as GMU took an early 3-0 lead but the Monarchs rattled off six straight, with Bahnick assisting on four of the goals to take a 6-3 edge. The momentum would swing the other way, as the hosts scored six straight of their own to take a 9-6 lead at 24:43 of the second half. 

Bahnick would score her first of her King's career at 23:30 to stop the run but Gwynedd Mercy took its largest lead of the game at 11-7 with less than 19 minutes to go on Samantha Brown's fourth of the game. 

Sims and junior Emma Lehman scored to bring King's to within two at 11-9, setting up the late rally for the Monarchs. Sims finished with a team-high four goals, adding an assist, eight draw controls and four ground balls, while Bahnick posted five assists for the Monarchs.
 
It marked the first time since last year's season-opener that King's had someone assist on five goals in a contest, and Bahnick's performance was only the 10th time that the Monarchs have had a player help out on five or more goals. 

Lehman posted two goals, two ground balls and an assist, and Koslop finished with three goals, all coming in the final seven minutes of the contest. Junior Mary Kate Klodarska finished with two goals and O'Connor posted a goal, assist and eight draw controls. Junior Kylie McCarthy didn't score but still finished with four ground balls and a caused turnover to help the cause. 

Defensively, Pierce was all over the field for the Monarchs, as she tallied eight caused turnovers and seven ground balls. Fellow senior Mia Dardanelli also finished with two caused turnovers and two ground balls, but her ability to help on the clears was huge as well. In goal, junior Orla Cottell and freshman Jessie Smalley split the contest, combining to make five saves. 

Brown and VIctoria Braeunle each finished with four goals and an assist, while Victoria Mollitor also registered four goals. Reilly Owens also made 13 stops in her first collegiate contest for Gwynedd Mercy. 

King's outshot the Griffins 39-23, but held a big 19-7 lead in draw controls on the night. The Monarchs also held a 27-23 edge in ground balls. 

The Monarchs will rest up for a few days before hosting Drew University in the home opener Saturday, February 22 at 1 p.m. in McCarthy Stadium.