LHU Lacrosse closes out regular season with overtime victory at IUP
INDIANA – The Lock Haven lacrosse team ended the 2024 regular season in thrilling fashion by downing IUP, 12-11, in overtime in its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division regular-season finale on Saturday afternoon (May 4).
The Bald Eagles close the 2024 regular season with a 14-3 overall and 8-3 PSAC West record, marking their first 14-win season since 2016. In the latest NCAA DII Atlantic Region rankings (April 28) the Bald Eagles were slated at No. 6.
The Haven clinches the No. 3 seed in the Western Division for the upcoming PSAC Championship Tournament.
Lock Haven will travel to the Western Division’s No. 2 seed Slippery Rock on Tuesday (May 7) at 4 p.m. for the first-round contest.
The trip to the postseason is the first for Lock Haven since 2018. The Bald Eagles also improved to 8-1 on the road this season.
The Bald Eagles outscored IUP 7-3 in the first half, but the Crimson Hawks scored three unanswered goals in the fourth period to send the game into overtime.
However, The Haven turned defense into offense in the extra period and Gabby Gunnip (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan Elbridge) buried the game-winning goal in the second minute of overtime to soar the Bald Eagles to victory.
After IUP secured the draw to open overtime, Mackenna Brown (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) forced a turnover that led to the Gunnip score.
The goal was the team-leading 55th of the season for Gunnip, who also led the contest with five goals. Brown was a force on defense and finished with five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Dana Mirigliano (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) helped storm off the furious IUP comeback attempt in the second half, as she finished with a season-high 16 saves and picked up six ground balls to earn her 14th win in net.
Josey Shaffer (Westminster, Md./Manchester Valley) totaled four points as she scored twice and dished out a pair of assists.
Nadia Baskot (Damascus, Md./Damascus) added a goal, two assists and a team-high five draw controls.
Abby Katrinak (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville), Brynlee Pinschenat (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), Makayla Kelly (Kennett Square, Pa./Kennett) and Emma Williams (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) also scored.
NEXT UP
Lock Haven will travel to the Western Division’s No. 2 seed Slippery Rock on Tuesday (May 7) at 4 p.m.
