Devils outscore SUNY Poly for first win of 2019

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Fredonia broke open a see-saw game with seven straight goals in the second half to emerge with a 24-18 women's lacrosse win Sunday over SUNY Poly on the snow-banked University Stadium turf.

Alli Coon had three goals and Kayla Purcell two during the decisive run, which turned a 13-12 deficit into a 19-13 lead with 14-14 remaining. Until then, there were 11 ties and seven lead changes.

It was the first win of the season for the Blue Devils, who improved to 1-2, and the first collegiate head coaching win for Marykate Edmunds, who spent four seasons as a college assistant coach before taking over the Fredonia team last summer.

Coon led the Fredonia attack with 13 points -- seven goals and six assists. Madeline Haney added six goals, Alyssa Kissel five goals, Purcell three goals, and Natalie Prims two goals. Bridget Carey made nine saves in the Fredonia goal.

Kayla Prosinski had six goals and one assist and Emile Somes five goals and one assist for SUNY Poly, which fell to 0-2.

DEVILS IN THE DETAILS

• Neither team led by more than one goal until SUNY Poly took a 6-4 lead on an unassisted goal by Somes at 21:04 of the first half.
• The Blue Devils drew even on back-to-back goals by Casie White and Purcell.
• A free-position goal by Coon at 27:50 of the second half forged a 13-13 tie, the last of 11 ties in the game.
• Coon set up Purcell for the go-ahead goal at 24:09. It put Fredonia on top 14-13. The Blue Devils led the rest of the way.
• While SUNY Poly had a 25-18 advantage in draw controls, the Blue Devils led in ground balls, 22-14. Morgan Sinclair collected five ground balls to lead Fredonia.
• Purcell was credited with six draws and White and Haney with five each.
• White was Fredonia's top pesk with four caused turnovers, one more than Tessa Brady.

QUICK FACTS

• Purcell was appearing in her first collegiate lacrosse game. A two-sport athlete, she joined her lacrosse teammates at the conclusion of the women's basketball season.
• Jen Kershner returned to live action after missing the first two games this season and most of last season with an injury.
• One of Edmunds's college assistant coaching stops was at SUNY Poly. She worked there in 2015 and 2016.

WHAT'S NEXT?

• Unless climate change deals a severe blow, there will be no snowbanks to contend with when the Blue Devils next play. That'll be Monday, March 11, against Smith College at Ann Dever Park in Englewood, Fla. The Blue Devils will also meet Gordon on March 13 and Salem State on March 14.

Recap, photo courtesy of Fredonia