Women's Lacrosse | 3/22/2014 7:32:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Huntingdon used a 5-0 run over a nearly nine-minute stretch of the first half to turn a 7-4 deficit into a 9-7 lead in ultimately defeating the Methodist women's lacrosse team, 17-13, on Saturday afternoon at Monarch Stadium.
 
Madison Antor's unassisted goal at the 9:08 mark of the first half provided MU (3-9, 1-3 USA South) the aforementioned 7-4 lead. Just over five minutes later, Lonnitria Keenan found the back of the cage for the Hawks (5-5, 3-3 USA South) off a feed from Shannen O'Leary with 4:07 to make it 7-5 in favor of MU. By the 3:03 mark, Keenan scored again to make it a one-goal game (7-6), and O'Leary's goal at the 2:36 mark tied things up 7-7.
 
With 54 seconds remaining in the first half, O'Leary gave HC its first lead of the game (8-7) when she scored unassisted, and Keenan found Candace Williams for another Hawk goal with 0:17 on the clock to push Huntingdon's lead to 9-7. The Monarchs' cold spell was broken when Antor managed to score just before the halftime buzzer to make it 9-8 at the break.
 
In the second half, Jen Price helped HC regain its two-goal advantage with an unassisted goal just 1:59 into the period. MU pulled to within one on Zhane' Ruffin's goal at the 26:55 mark to make it a 10-9 game, but HC scored four of the game's next five goals and pushed out to a 14-10 lead on Keenan's goal with 21:17 on the clock.
 
The two teams traded goals down the stretch as Huntingdon held on to defeat the Monarchs in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
Huntingdon's large scoring run was aided by its ability to control the draw circle. For the game, the Hawks picked up 20 draw controls to just 11 for the Monarchs. Huntingdon also outshot, MU, 30-27, and picked up one more ground ball (22), than did Methodist (21).
 
Ashley Cannon made six saves in goal for the Monarchs in taking the loss. Alexis McDonald picked up the win for Huntingdon. She made eight saves.
 
Antor finished with four goals, three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers to lead the Monarchs. Ruffin finished with four goals as well, and Cassie Walter and Jessie Earp had a pair of goals each. Walter and Ashlea Weems each picked up four ground balls, and Oriana Clayton had three caused turnovers.
 
For Huntingdon, O'Leary finished with five points on four goals and an assist. Lonnitria Keenan added five points on three goals and two helpers, and Price and Jamie Reschke each scored twice. Kalyn Spatol led the way with six draw controls, and McDonald, Spatol and Tori Krupa each had three ground balls.
 
Methodist is back on the field on Sunday when it hosts LaGrange at 2:00 pm.