Women’s Lacrosse celebrates their senior game with a win against Utica

Photo courtesy of GENESEO KNIGHTS

After a commanding 19-6 win over Utica on Senior Day, the Geneseo Women’s Lacrosse team heads into the Empire 8 tournament with momentum, confidence, and eyes on the championship.

Saturday, Apr. 26, the Geneseo Women’s Lacrosse team faced Utica University for their last game before the Empire 8 tournament hosted in the College Stadium at SUNY Geneseo.

With a draw control to start the game, Utica won and gained possession of the ball, but that did not last long as senior attacker Sophie Lyko checked the offense’s stick and got the ground ball, causing a turnover. After a couple of unsuccessful goal attempts, Geneseo found their groove after a timeout, and a freshman attack and midfielder, Rosemary Mahoney, found a gap in the defense, earning the first goal of her Geneseo career.

The Pioneers and the Knights were neck and neck for most of the first quarter, matching each goal scored as junior midfielder Alaina Reina found the back of the net, tying the game.

Geneseo felt the pressure as Utica scored two more goals, but the Knights refused to let that slide. They responded with an assisted goal from graduate student attacker Maddie Brown with help from Mahoney. Brown had her assist for sophomore attacker Natalie Long to end the first quarter with a tie, but this head-to-head game would not last long.

Once again, as the quarter started, Utica had control of the ball but quickly lost it after a failed attempt at goal; a successful save from graduate student goalkeeper Emily DeJohn followed this.

With a couple of goal attempts, Geneseo put themselves on the board again as Brown helped Lyko out with the game's fifth goal, putting the Knights ahead.

The game was tied once again as Utica got through Geneseo’s tough defense, followed by a successful draw control, where Long grabbed a pass from Brown to put in the net. Mahoney was giving assist after assist, helping the sophomore attack and midfielder out by putting Geneseo at a two-point lead. The Knights kept the Pioneers at bay as their defensive game got better by halftime. Geneseo was up six points, leaving Utica in the dust.

 After halftime, Geneseo was ready to show no mercy as they scored five more goals before the end of the quarter, letting one of Utica’s attackers through their defense. Geneseo had great eyes on the field, grabbing numerous ground balls and sending them to DeJohn for some satisfying clears. These allowed players like Mahoney to make plays and get their teammates to the net.

Going into the last quarter with a ten-point lead, the Knights were ready to close the game out and take the victory. Less than a minute into the last quarter, Mahoney had the chance to receive an assist from Brown to burst up the field for a powerful sidearm shot to score. With another ground ball grab, Reina saw an opportunity and put on the gas to get up the field to the crease, sending the ball through the goalie's stick for another successful shot on goal.

To end the exciting game, Long got the ball back from Utica to score the game's last goal and a satisfying end to the Knights’ senior day. With a final score of 19-6 in favor of Geneseo, the Knights will move on to the Empire 8 tournament semi-finals on Thursday, May 1, with finals on Saturday, May 3.