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CINCINNATI --The University of Cincinnati used strong goaltending from Meg Gulmi and five draw controls from Skylar DeLemos to rally from a three-goal deficit and defeat Robert Morris on Sunday afternoon at Gettler Stadium. The 8-7 victory in UC's home-opener was seen by 458 spectators, the third-largest crowd in program history.
Cincinnati trailed by deficits of 3-0 and 5-3 before using a 5-1 scoring run in the second half to win the game. The Bearcats held RMU's Jessica Karwacki, the NCAA career leader in draw controls, to just one win from the center draw in the game. Gulmi made six saves in the second half alone to help the Cincinnati rally, while freshman Amanda Donovan scored twice in 2:06 to tie the game at 5-5.
// KEY PLAYERS
CINCINNATI
Brooke Kovinsky (Monkton, Md./Hereford) - 2 goals | 1 assist | 1 draw control
Courtney Curtis (Mason, Ohio/Mason) - 2 goals | 1 assist | 1 ground ball | 1 caused turnover
Amanda Donovan (Ellicott City, Md./Mount de Sales Academy) - 2 goals
Skylar DeLemos (Cranbury, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro) - 5 draw controls
Kyara Byner (Franklin, Tenn./Ensworth) - 3 ground balls | 3 caused turnovers
ROBERT MORRIS
Corey Karwacki - 3 goals | 1 ground ball | 1 draw control
Brittany Byerly - 2 goals | 1 assist | 1 caused turnover
Dana Davis - 1 goals | 5 ground balls | 2 draw controls
// IN THE CAGE
CIN Meg Gulmi (Syosset, N.Y./Syosset) - 8 saves | 7 goals allowed | 4 ground balls
RMU Sarah Arnold - 6 saves | 8 goals allowed | 3 ground balls
// KEY GOALS
21:13 1st - RMU Dana Davis
Davis scored her first of two goals on the afternoon to spot the Colonials a 3-0 early lead. She follwed a pair of goals from Corey Karwacki over the opening 5:13.
19:04 1st - CIN Katie Stegmann (free position)
Stegmann (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) scored her second goal on a free position to pull the Bearcats back within 3-2. Curtis notched the first goal of the game for just just 1:14 prior.
10:24 1st - CIN Megan Bell (Brooke Kovinsky)
The senior captain, Bell (Parkton, Md./Hereford) scored her ninth goal of the year with just over 10 minutes to play in the half, providing the final scoring of the opening period and cutting RMU's halftime lead to 4-3.
15:29 2nd - CIN Amanda Donovan
Donovan scored her second goal in just over two minutes to tie the contest at 5-5 midway through the second half.
14:36 2nd - RMU Brittany Byerly
Byerly responded for the Colonials with a goal less than a minute later to help the visitors retake the lead, 6-5. It would be the final Robert Morris goal until there were just 13 seconds remaining.
11:56 2nd - CIN Courtney Curtis (Maria Collacchi)
Curtis took a feed from Collacchi (Parkton, Md./Hereford) to put the Bearcats up for good, 7-6, with 11:56 remaining. A huge insurance goal followed on a free position from Kovinsky with just over four minutes left, as RMU scored with 13 second on the clock to provide the final margin of 8-7.
// GAME NOTES
- The crowd of 458 at Gettler Stadium marked the third-largest attendance in program history, trailing only the final two home games of the 2014 season.
- Under head coach Gina Oliver, the Bearcats are now 3-1 in their home-openers. The only loss in Oliver's four seasons was a setback to No. 11 Notre Dame a season ago. - It was the first career multi-goal game for Kovinsky.
- Donovan also had her first career multi-goal game.
- DeLemos' five draw controls were one off a career high.
- UC's 20 fouls were a season-low.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats return to Gettler Stadium for a pair of home games next weekend. UC plays host to Detroit on Friday, March 4, at 4 p.m., with Central Michigan visiting on Sunday, March 6, at 1 p.m.
Fans are invited to Experience UC lacrosse all season with complimentary admission. Sunday's game will be the second Signature Sunday of the season, with players available postgame on the Gettler Stadium plaza for autographs.