BALTIMORE—The UMBC women's lacrosse team (9-5) could not overcome a 6-2 halftime deficit and fell to cross-town rival Johns Hopkins (8-5) by a score of 12-7 Wednesday evening at UMBC Stadium.
UMBC junior midfielder Alicia Krause (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron/Duquesne), the reigning America East Player of the Week, scored three goals – her third hat trick in as many games – and added four ground balls, two draw controls and five caused turnovers to earn America East Player of the Game honors.
Hopkins attack Rachel Ballatori put the Blue Jays on the board first at the 24:55 mark, but UMBC senior midfielder Amanda Pappas (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) knotted the game just 25 seconds later.
But the Blue Jays scored three in a row over the next eight minutes to take a 4-1 lead and never looked back, as UMBC freshman midfielder Kristen Bilney's (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron) goal at the 11:40 mark was the only Retriever tally during a 5-1 Hopkins run to end the half. The visitors led, 6-2, at the break.
Krause won the opening draw control of the second stanza and ran straight up the middle of the field for the score just seven seconds into the period.
The teams alternated the first five goals of the half, and the Retrievers trailed by just three, 8-5, with 18:31 remaining before a three-goal Hopkins spurt over a 3:27 span gave the Blue Jays an 11-5 advantage with 11:08 to go.
Krause and junior attack Emily Coady (Westminster, Md./Westminster) tallied back-to-back goals to pull the Retrievers to within four, 11-7, with five minutes remaining, but they could get no closer, and Hopkins midfielder Taylor D'Amore completed her hat trick with 44 seconds left for the 12-7 final.
D'Amore led all scorers with six points on three goals and three assists.
Senior attack Erika Braerman (Fallston, Md./Fallston) had assists on both of UMBC's first-half goals, giving her 55 helpers in her career and moving her into sole possession of fourth place all-time at UMBC.
Senior goalie Natalie Rau (Forest Hill, Md./Fallston) made nine saves, including seven in the first half, while Hopkins keeper Cosette Larash stopped five shots.
The Blue Jays outshot the Retrievers, 30-19, including 17-5 in the first half, and held a 16-11 advantage on ground balls and a 12-9 edge in draw controls, including 7-2 in the first period.
The Retrievers return to action on Sunday, when they host America East rival Binghamton at 1 p.m. in their final home game of the season. Before the game, the Retrievers will honor eight seniors in a Senior Day ceremony.
