TicketsMOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Cincinnati lacrosse team used a dominant 5-0 fourth-period run to pull away from Robert Morris, earning a 9-3 road victory Sunday afternoon at Joe Walton Stadium.
The Bearcats raced out to a 3-0 lead after the first quarter but stalled offensively over the next two periods, allowing Robert Morris to claw back within one at 4-3 entering the final frame. Cincinnati rediscovered its rhythm in the fourth, however, erupting for five unanswered goals — highlighted by Paige Selhorn scoring all three of her goals in the period to secure her hat trick — to seal the win.
Selhorn paced the attack with three goals and two assists, while Kozina recorded her second hat trick of the season. Defensively, Paige Counts and Lexie Wolfe each collected four ground balls, helping anchor a unit that limited the Colonials to just three goals.
Cincinnati controlled the stat sheet, holding a commanding 32-16 advantage in shots and a 10-4 edge in draw controls behind eight from sophomore Morgan Handzel.
Sophomore Alyse Keels opened the scoring at the 10:07 mark of the first quarter. After a competitive stretch, Kozina found the back of the net and struck again just a minute later to give UC a 3-0 cushion heading into the second.
Defense dictated the second quarter. Goalkeeper Bell Kerr tallied seven saves in the period, though Lea Otts capitalized on a power-play opportunity for Robert Morris to account for the lone goal of the period.
Mia Berthoff cut the deficit to 3-2 with 10:58 remaining in the third before junior Hailey Joy Simpson restored Cincinnati’s two-goal advantage. Taylor Burkett answered late in the quarter, trimming the lead to 4-3 and setting the stage for the decisive fourth.
Cincinnati took control from there. Selhorn ignited the surge with a goal in the opening minute of the final period, added another shortly after and later capped the scoring with her third of the afternoon as the Bearcats closed out the 9-3 victory.
// UP NEXT
The Bearcats are back on the road, heading south to Music City for a clash with Vanderbilt. The opening draw is set for Friday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m. ET at the Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex.
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