TicketsFeb. 20, 2009
PITTSBURGH - The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team took an early first half lead behind a hat trick by Laura Simanski (Reisterstown, Md./Roland Park) and never looked back, earning its second straight win on the road by defeating Duquesne, 11-8, on Friday afternoon at Rooney Field. Lynsey Burton (Smithtown, N.Y./Ohio) scored a game-high four goals for the Bearcats, which improved to 2-0 in their second year of play. Duquesne dropped to 0-3 on the year.
Cincinnati led, 6-3, in the first half after strong offensive performances by Simanski and Burton. Burton put UC's first point on the board with an unassisted goal at the 21:38 mark of the first period. Lindsey Marshall (Hilliard, Ohio/Ohio) gave UC a 2-1 lead but the Dukes scored back-to-back goals to take a 3-2 advantage with 14:55 remaining in the period. Simanksi scored her first goal of the game off an assist from Lauren Houck (Bel Air, Md./CM Wright) and followed with an unassisted goal just two minutes later. Burton scored a diving shot but had it taken away because of a Duquesne foul, giving her the opportunity to make good on a free position attempt. Simanski scored the final goal of the period when she weaved through traffic and zipped a shot into the back of the net for her second straight hat trick.
In the second half Duquesne put the pressure on the Bearcats. After Marshall picked up a loose ball and put it in the back of the net and MacKenzie Parsons (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) scored on a free position attempt, the Dukes scored four straight goals to cut into UC's lead, 8-7. With 15:22 remaining in the period Burton snuck in and out of traffic and bounced a shot behind the goalkeeper. She followed that with a shot that hit the top corner of the net on a free position attempt to give the Bearcats a 10-7 advantage. Marshall scored on a quick-fire free position attempt for her first hat trick of the season with 10:23 left in the game. A Duquesne goal with under two minutes to play ended the scoring at 11-8.
Katherine Russo (Westminster, Md./Winters Mills) played the entire game in goal, earning the win and saving 14.
UC will play at Robert Morris on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m.