TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's lacrosse team was tested by a red-hot Union squad tonight, dropping a 14-7 Liberty League decision at ECAV Stadium.
RPI was led offensively by
Abigail Couzens and
Beckett Houston, who scored two goals apiece, with Couzens also adding an assist for a team-high three points.
Lila Kania,
Camille Stackhouse, and
Quinn Wollard accounted for the Engineers' other goals, while
Kacey Pritts notched an assist and Houston scored twice on the man advantage. In goal,
Halley Feaga played all 60 minutes and made eight saves.
Union struck first midway through the opening quarter, but RPI generated early chances and kept the Saints' offense in check defensively, with Feaga making three first-quarter saves to hold the deficit at 1-0 after 15 minutes.
The Engineers found their footing in the second quarter and briefly swung momentum. Stackhouse tied the game with a free-position finish early in the period, and after Union answered with a pair, RPI responded again as Kania scored unassisted to make it a one-goal game. Union pushed the margin to three, but RPI closed the half with a key strike from Couzens in the final half-minute to pull within 5-3 at the break.
The middle of the game proved decisive, as Union's attack erupted for four goals in the third quarter, including a three-goal burst in a little over two minutes, to build a 9-3 advantage heading to the fourth.
RPI continued to battle and produced a quick push early in the final period. Couzens opened the quarter with an unassisted goal, and the Engineers then capitalized on consecutive extra-player chances as Houston scored twice on the man advantage, one unassisted and one off a Pritts feed, to trim the deficit to 9-6 with just over eight minutes remaining.
Union answered with a pair of goals to regain control, and although Wollard finished a Couzens assist during the late push, the Saints closed out the win with three more down the stretch.
RPI is on the road for its next, beginning Saturday at 3:00 pm at Ithaca.
