SELINSGROVE, Pa.- The Juniata women's lacrosse team fell to five unanswered Susquehanna goals in the first period and six more goals in the fourth period of an 8-15 defeat to the River Hawks on Wednesday evening.
Juniata posted four goals in apiece in the second and third periods, getting back within one at 9-8 at the end of the third period before again falling behind.
Grace Gibbs and Kelliann Drummond each had a pair of goals in the contest, while Drummond also notched an assist. Skyler Stevens had one goal and one assist apiece.
Three Eagles collected a pair of caused turnovers, including Gibbs, Maeve Kuser, and Lauren Metzger. Shayla Lapp led the side with three ground balls and five of Juniata's 12 draw controls. Chloe Gerhard made 10 saves on the day.
Susquehanna was efficient in the first period as they built out a 5-0 lead while outshooting the Eagles 8-3. Juniata bounced back in the second period outscoring Susquehanna 4-2 to get back to 7-4 at the halftime break.
Gibbs opened the scoresheet for Juniata four minutes into the second period with a spinning dodge past a River Hawks defender that left her marker on the ground for a clear shot that she converted. Para added the next goal 75 seconds later with a cut to the right and a shot over the Susquehanna goaltender from ten yards away.
Susquehanna then began a sequence of trading points as each side added two more goals in the final nine minutes. Gibbs got her second of the day, then Drummond closed out scoring in the half with three minutes left with a roll dodge to the left past her defender for a close-range shot into the ground.
Juniata again posted a 4-2 period in the third to get back to 9-8 heading into the fourth period. Drummond struck for her second goal within ninety seconds with a Susquehanna goal on each side of her goal. Kyndall Yeager made it a three-goal game just 14 seconds after the second Susquehanna goal of the period as Stevens spotted Yeager unmarked and making for the edge of the crease for a close-range shot.
The next Juniata goal came ten minutes later as Stevens converted in a man-up situation. Peyton Goodrich then ended the period by converting a free position shot.
The Eagles entered the fourth a goal down but quickly fell out of reach due to four River Hawks goals in the first five minutes, going 6-0 overall across the period for the 15-8 final.
Juniata plays Landmark Conference opponents Elizabethtown on the road on Saturday. Juniata claimed a 16-8 victory at home last season with six Grace Gibbs goals and four from Peyton Goodrich.