In a battle between two undefeated teams, the Geneseo women’s lacrosse team fell to No. 17 Ithaca College 11-8 on Friday March 9.
Although the Knights lost by three, the score does not indicate how tight the game was. The two teams were neck and neck throughout the game, closing the half tied at five. Geneseo and Ithaca experienced three lead changes and four ties throughout the game, also indicating the closeness of the bout.
Junior attack Caroline Buonocore led the team with four points, three goals and one assist.
Head coach Carly Ritchlin recognized efforts by junior attack Meredith Weber.
“[Weber] stepped up,” she said. “She scored two huge goals at crucial times.”
Weber scored the game-tying goal going into the half and the opening goal of the second half that gave the Knights the lead.
“Her composure, her ability to read the defense and get the ball in and take good shots, that was key for us,” Ritchlin said.
Defense played a key part in the game, holding off Ithaca.
“Defense was phenomenal,” Ritchlin said. “There were moments in the game when they would hold [Ithaca’s] attack from scoring. That is huge because we were able to play good, solid defense.”
Despite the loss, Ritchlin said she saw a lot of positives from the game.
“To come within three goals with a nationally ranked team shows that we are right there ... that we have the talent and we’re just as good,” she said.
Ritchlin also said that the team has changed from a gentler team to a more aggressive team. While she said she welcomes the physicality, she said that the team needs to “be more disciplined with fouling.”
Ritchlin added that the team needed to work on 50-50 balls.
“If we fix those two things, it will help us a lot as we move forward to the season,” she said.
Not beginning SUNYAC play until Saturday March 30, the string of nonconference games is a “good time ... to expose what [the Knights] need to work on,” Ritchlin said.
Editor’s Note: The Knights defeated No. 14 St. John Fisher College 13-6 on Wednesday March 13. The victory marked Ritchlin’s 100th career win in her 10th year at Geneseo. Buonocore led the Knights with four goals, while Weber and junior midfielder Emily Haggerty added three goals apiece. Geneseo faces Centre College on Tuesday March 19 in Orlando, Fla.