NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Life U 17, Keiser 15
Records: Life U, 10-7 (4-3 SUN); Keiser, 15-1 (7-0 SUN)
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Life University women's lacrosse team stunned the Seahawks of Keiser early Friday afternoon. The Running Eagles advance to the SUN Conference championship game after handing Keiser its first loss of the season. Lexi Santiago was a key factor on the offensive end, netting seven goals in the contest with nine points.
The Running Eagles opened the contest with a strong start. Despite Keiser scoring the opening goal, Lexi Santiago answered back with a pair of goals to give her team its first lead of the contest. Kathryn Moody got on the board shortly after as Life U claimed a 3-1 lead. However, things began to go south with just under five minutes left in the first period. Over the next five minutes, the Seahawks proceeded to pour in five unanswered goals, taking a 6-3 lead into the second period.
Alyssa Curto opened the second by pulling the Running Eagles back within two. The two point deficit would be as close as the Running Eagles would get in the period. Though Reese Phipps, Curto, Moody and Santiago all scored in the period, Keiser continued to hold the lower seed at arms length. Santiago scored the final goal of the period with just ten seconds remaining as Life U trailed 11-9 going into the break.
Neither offense slowed down after the half time break as the teams continued to trade blows. Hannah Leon pulled the Running Eagles within a single goal before the teams began to go one-for-one. Trading goals for the first seven minutes of the period, the Seahawks held a narrow 14-13 lead midway through the third.
Moody pulled the contest even with 07:18 left in the third, prompting a timeout from the Seahawks. The timeout did little to stop Moody, who scored her third-straight goals with 03:30 left to give Life U a 15-14 lead. Once again scoring in the final second, Santiago boosted the Running Eagles to a two-goal lead as the teams prepared for the final period.
Keiser pulled back within one with the opening goal of the period but Santiago once again answered the call just over a minute later. Holding the lead at 17-15, the teams continued to scrap for the remaining minutes of the contest. Goalie Ashley Hammel made a crucial save with 06:14 after Life U missed a big chance on the offensive end.
Following Hammel's save, the Life U defense allowed just one shot in the final six minutes as the Running Eagles went on to claim the upset win, 17-15.
Up next, Life U will await the winner of SCAD vs Ave Maria to play in the championship at noon on Saturday, April 19.
TURNING POINT:
--Kathryn Moody scored three-straight goals in the third to give Life U its first lead since the opening period of the contest.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Lexi Santiago was a nightmare on offense, leading all scorers with seven goals and nine total points (7G, 2A).
--Kathryn Moody scored five goals in the contest.
--Alyssa Curto had five points in the game (2G, 3A).
--Ashley Hammel made nine crucial saves in the contest.
