Lacrosse wins second straight to start A-10 season

Senior Mandy Friend scored a goal with 1:29 left during overtime to lift the University of Richmond women's lacrosse team to a 14-13 victory against Duquesne University.

Richmond got control of the ball during the overtime and took its time getting off a shot. After passing the ball around the perimeter, Friend had the ball at the top of the offensive zone and drove in toward Duquesne goalkeeper Sara Beckstead. Friend fired a shot over the left shoulder of Beckstead to give the Spiders the victory.

"[Beckstead] had stopped me down low a couple of times, so I figured shooting high was my best option," Friend said.

The Spiders scored two goals during the final minute while down a player, tying the score and sending it into the extra session.

With 3:27 left during the game and down 13-11, senior Lexie Marrocco picked up a yellow card, leaving Richmond down a player for three minutes.

Freshman Sam Tajirian scored her third goal of the game to bring Richmond within one with 41 seconds left during the game. Only 21 seconds later, sophomore Anne Ryan scored off a free-position to tie the game.

"We were down three goals earlier in the game and had come back from that," Friend said. "We never questioned our ability."

Richmond has struggled this season, losing its first nine games this year and dealing with the resignation of coach Sue Murphy last week. But those early-season difficulties aren't going to negatively affect the Spiders for the rest of the season, Friend said.

"We said that conference play is where we were going to turn it around," she said.

Interim head coach Peter Albright has won both games he has coached. Those two wins represent the season total for the Spiders, who are 2-9 overall, but 2-0 in Atlantic 10 play. The team is first in the conference's standings.

"Today was a great win," Albright said. "It gives us first place in the conference."

Freshman Caitlin Fifield scored a team-high four goals and one assist for Richmond. Friend added three goals and two assists.

Seniors Megan Frederick and Ashley Wood led the Dukes on offense. Both scored four goals and Frederick added four assists. Despite the win, Richmond assistant coach Allison Nuzzi was not pleased with her team's defensive effort.

"There are things we still need to work on," Nuzzi said. "I'm not happy giving up 13 and 15 goals" against Duquesne and Saint Bonaventure during the last two games.

Even though the wins this weekend weren't pretty, Nuzzi said she would take them.

"We made it a priority to win home games in the A-10," she said. "We were fortunate to have our first two conference games at home. It's good to start 2-0."

Contact staff writer Andrew Prezioso at andrew.prezioso@richmond.edu