Crimson Hawks in must-win game against Lock Haven

The Crimson Hawks entered the weekend with a 9-4 record and two PSAC games on the schedule, last place Kutztown and second place West Chester.

Despite a less than stellar performance Friday at Kutztown, IUP was able to pull away for the 17-11 win.

“I don’t think our team played to our potential,” IUP Head Coach Mindy Richmond said.

The Crimson Hawks took control of the game early. Senior Beth Glasshagel scored the first three goals to give IUP a 3-0 lead. Glasshagel finished with four goals on the day.

Kutztown had little offense to work with in the first half, as they were only able to manage one goal to cut IUP’s deficit to 3-1. It was all IUP from there as the Hawks registered five more in the half to take an 8-1 lead at the break.

The Hawks would seem to pick up right where they left off in the second half. Kutztown got on the board early, but less than a minute later Colleen Berlin expanded the Hawks’ lead back to seven.

The next 12 minutes of the contest belonged to the Golden Bears. Rosa Buffolino led the 5-1 scoring charge to cut the IUP lead to three at 10-7. Buffolino scored all five of those goals.

“We definitely played a little bit down,” Richmond said. “It was a grass field and we weren’t used to playing on grass.”

IUP came back with a 5-1 run of its own to gain yet another seven point lead. Kutztown continued to battle back, but Alexa Lodovici and Stephanie Bianco added the last two goals for the Hawks to put the game out of reach.

Lodovici led the Hawks with five goals and two assists.

“I’m happy that we were able to get another win late in the season,” Richmond said.

Saturday the Hawks took on West Chester, the former No. 1 team in the conference. The Golden Rams lost their No. 1 spot after a Friday loss to Lock Haven.

The Hawks got on the board early in this game as well, but the lead didn’t last long. West Chester came back with some quick strike offense and took a 3-1 lead.

Berlin got the Hawks back within one, but that was the closest IUP would get as West Chester responded with three goals to make it 6-2, and they never looked back from there.

The Hawks added another goal to cut the lead in half, but the Golden Rams were then scored 12 consecutive goals over the next 14 minutes to increase the lead to 18-3, and ultimately put the game out of reach.

IUP managed a few more goals, but it was not enough as they fell to West Chester 23-8.

“We played with them really well in the beginning of the game,” Richmond said. “But we had a hard time on the draw circle coming up with draws, and that’s what starts the offensive push.”

I think the biggest thing we are able to take from it is just looking at them [West Chester], and saying that’s what we need to look like going into next season. We need to work really hard in the weight room, and train really hard so that we look like that team. We have to figure out how to maintain and how to play consistently well in every game.”

Richmond went on to say that they are looking forward to the future and building a team like they have in West Chester.

IUP (10-5, 6-4) has one more game this season, a must win, 4 p.m. Thursday against Lock Haven.

“We need the win in order to make playoffs,” Richmond said. “Unfortunately us suffering the loss from Slippery Rock earlier in the season, it puts us very close with Slippery Rock. If we lose the game then we’re tied with Slippery Rock, and they won the head-to-head so they’ll make playoffs.”

Making the playoffs has been a goal of IUP’s since day one.

“It’s do or die,” Richmond said. “We win, we continue. We lose, season’s over.”

Notes:

Lock Haven (11-4, 9-1) has won nine games in a row. Its last loss was March 23 to C.W. Post, who currently holds the No. 5 ranking in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll.