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WILMINGTON – Ursuline and Archmere played two different lacrosse games when they met May 4 at Serviam Field. The Raiders and Auks entertained with a high-scoring, freewheeling first half, then took a more patient approach in the second. Ursuline managed a one-goal advantage in each half, defeating Archmere, 11-9.
Ursuline took an early 2-0 lead, but the Auks found their footing in quick fashion. Raiders goalkeeper Brigid Monahan kept them off the board with three quality saves, but the Auks would not be denied much longer. Exactly eight minutes into the game, Anna Roszkowski picked up a missed shot behind Monahan, fed Kate Olsen in front, and she buried it.
Archmere needed just 47 seconds to level the score. Olsen picked up the assist this time, sending a pass from a free-position start to Caroline Donovan, who was all alone in front and went far side.
The Raiders won the next faceoff, and Jordan Kenney took the ball downfield and scored, but Olsen bounced one in off a free-position two minutes after that. Archmere took its first lead at 4-3 with 8:50 to go in the half, a lead that lasted just seven seconds. Jane Lyons grabbed a ground ball and streaked in on Auks keeper Maura Smeader, beating her low.
After Donovan gave Archmere another one-goal advantage, Lyons tied it again in unusual fashion. Lyons was fouled by Smeader, giving her a shot from a free-position. The keeper was not allowed to start the play in net, and Lyons had a wide-open chance. She did not miss.
The Raiders regained the advantage on a Moira Carroll goal, but the Auks once again bounced back as Olivia Baldi picked up a rebound of a shot that went off a post and sent a turnaround shot in with 2:36 to go. Ursuline netted the next two to make it 8-6, but Baldi bounced a ball in with 35 seconds to go to bring the Auks back within one.
Monahan and Smeader traded brilliant saves early in the second half, and an apparent tying goal by Baldi was waived off because she was using an illegal stick. Ursuline extended the lead to two when Kenney found a cutting Katherine Shroyer. The teams traded goals once more, and with 15 minutes remaining, the Raiders had a 10-8 lead. Baldi capitalized on a free-position play a few seconds later, but that would be the Auks’ last goal.
The Raiders burned much of the clock on their ensuing possessions, and they made it work. They killed four minutes on one, but when they finally attempted a shot, Smeader kicked it away. Kenney took a pass on a free-position play and stuffed it in with 4:35 left for the final margin.
Carroll had four goals and Kenney three for the Raiders, while Monahan had 10 saves. The Raiders (9-2) won their seventh straight and will go for eight in a row on Monday at home against Sussex Academy at 4:50 p.m.
Donovan and Baldi each scored three for the Auks, and Smeader turned away six shots. Archmere, which had a six-game winning streak snapped, is 9-3 and will play Monday at 5 p.m. at Polytech.
