Box Score

INDIANA, PA – On a bitter, rainy afternoon with a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament berth on the line and the No. 9 team in the country coming to town, the IUP lacrosse team would need their best effort to secure a trip to the postseason for the first time in school history. With the senior class being honored prior to the start of the game, those seniors did not disappoint, leading the Crimson Hawks to a thrilling 14-13 win over Lock Haven and vaulting IUP into its first-ever PSAC tournament.

Seniors Jessica Beck (Baltimore, MD/Western Tech), Stephanie Bianco (King of Prussia/Upper Merion), Beth Glasshagel (Coram, NY/Newfield), Jillian Jordan (Kingwood, TX/Kingwood), Corinne Miller (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) and Becca Vogt (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) make up one of the most accomplished classes at IUP, and each player was needed for the Crimson Hawks to defeat the Lady Eagles for the first time in school history.

Lock Haven would break the seal on the game when Gwen Buss scored off of an assist from Kelly Hamilton, but Vogt would answer with back-to-back goals to give the Crimson Hawks a 2-1 lead with 24:10 to play in the first half.

The Lady Eagles would regain the lead midway through the period with three consecutive goals to take a 4-2 lead, but IUP would punch back once again when  Colleen Berlin (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) deposited a pair of goals to knot the game at 4-4.

The Crimson Hawks would take the lead less than a minute later when Miller scored on a free position shot, and Berlin would add another goal just 23 seconds later to give IUP a 6-4 lead with 3:49 to play in the half.

After a Lock Haven goal trimmed the lead to just one with under two to play in the period, a pair of seniors ended the half on a high note when Vogt received a pass from Bianco and deposited the goal to give the Crimson Hawks a 7-5 lead and plenty of momentum at the break.

That momentum would carry into the second half, as IUP would rip off five unanswered goals to take a commanding 12-5 lead eight minutes into the period. The seniors were on full display during the run, as Beck, Bianco, Miller and Glasshagel all tallied goals during the stretch.

Despite a seven-goal lead and the Crimson Hawks cruising toward a win, Lock Haven would not go quietly. The Lady Eagles would storm back with seven consecutive goals to tie the game at 12-12 and silence the crowd at Miller Stadium.

In desperate need of a goal to halt the Lock Haven run, it was again a pair of seniors who delivered when Vogt set up Bianco for a goal to give the Crimson Hawks a 13-12 lead with 7:39 to play in the game. Bianco would extend the lead to two just three minutes later when she scored off of an assist from Beck.

The Lady Eagles would cut the lead in half when Kayleigh Johnson scored with 3:10 to play, but the Crimson Hawks defense would hold firm and seal the historic win for IUP.

Berlin had a team-high four goals for the Crimson Hawks, while Bianco and Vogt each notched three goals. Miller finished with two goals for IUP, while Beck and Glasshagel scored as well. Chelsey Hipp (Clarksville, MD/Good Counsel) played the entire game in goal and had 10 saves.

With the win, the Crimson Hawks improve to 11-5, 7-4 in the PSAC, and have wrapped up the fifth seed in the PSAC Tournament next week. IUP will play the loser of Saturday's game between Mercyhurst and Gannon in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.