Box Score
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Led by five points each from seniors Katie Irwin and Brita Paul, the Shippensburg University women's lacrosse team nearly upset No. 9-ranked Queens (N.C.) Tuesday, losing 12-10 on the road at Queens Sports Complex at Marion Diehl Park.
It was the sixth win in seven games already this season for the Royals (6-1) who were ranked ninth in Tuesday's IWLCA Division II Poll.
Despite holding Queens without a goal for the final seven-plus minutes, the Lady Raiders (0-1) could not overcome a five-goal deficit to pull the upset.
The Royals led 12-7 with 7:42 remaining following Kelley Duffey's third goal of the game before Shippensburg scored the next two to pull within three on goals by Irwin and freshman Karen Schnurr at 6:57 and 5:38, respectively.
However, the Lady Raiders managed just one more goal with only nine seconds remaining when junior Beth Long scored her second career goal on a free position shot.
Irwin finished the game with four goals and one assist while Paul had one goal and four assists.
Irwin is the team's top returning scorer from 2007 where she had 35 points on 24 goals and 11 assists. In one game, Paul, who led the team in assists as a sophomore with a career-high 12, more than doubled her total from a year ago when she had seven. Paul who entered this season with 70 career points, including 26 assists.
Shippensburg trailed 8-5 at the half before the Royals scored the first three goals of the second half to increase its lead to six, 11-5 with 13:35 remaining. However, Paul's goal at 11:06 started a stretch in which the Lady Raiders outscored Queens 5-1 to end the game.
Sophomore Brooke Miller made five saves in her first game as a Lady Raider, four of which came in the second half.
Shippensburg held a 25-19 edge in shots and a 32-26 margin in ground balls, but converted just 2-of-8 free position attempts.
The Lady Raiders return to action on Thursday when they travel to Belmont Abbey. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. The Crusaders are currently 4-3 this season following Tuesday's 18-7 home loss to No. 3 West Chester.
- Lady Raider Lacrosse -
