Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - Shippensburg University women's lacrosse sophomore Gayle Kuntzmann tied a season-high with three points while adding a team-high eight ground balls and four draw controls, but No. 7-ranked Mercyhurst proved to be too much on the road as the Lakers prevailed 17-5 Sunday at Tullio Field.

The loss was the sixth in the last seven games for the Lady Raiders (3-9) and third non-conference defeat in as many games this season. All three of Shippensburg's non-conference losses have come on the road against top-10 ranked competition.

In addition, five of the Lady Raiders nine losses have come against teams ranked in the top-10 while three of the other four have been to teams that are currently in the top four of the conference standings and in place to make the PSAC Women's Lacrosse Championship.

Kuntzmann also added three caused turnovers and was 2-for-2 on free position attempts.

For Mercyhurst (10-2), Breanna Haggerty and Jessie Horeth combined for nine of the team's 17 goals while accounting for the first six of the game as the Lakers won their seventh-straight and remained unbeaten in four games at home this season.

Haggerty, who entered the week as the nation's leader goals, tallied five more on Sunday and has totaled 61 in 12 games this season. Three of her tallies came in a decisive first half in which Mercyhurst built a 9-3 halftime lead. The All-American candidate has now scored at least three goals in 20 consecutive games.

All five of Haggerty's goals came in the game's first 33 minutes before she also added an assist with 16:31 remaining in the second half to finish the game with six points. As well as leading the nation in goals, she now leads Division II in points as well with 77 this season, three more than Kerrie Brown of St. Andrews Presbyterian.

A defenseman, Kuntzmann has now scored three points in two of her last three games. The team leader in ground balls and caused turnovers, she currently ranks among the team leaders in goals and points and has totaled seven goals and nine points in her last six games.

Senior Kelly Smith scored just 1:51 into the second half for Shippensburg, assisted by Kunztmann, to cut the Laker lead to five, but that was as close as the Lady Raiders could get as Mercyhurst scored eight of the final nine goals in the game, including the next two by Haggerty and Horeth that increased the lead to seven.

Shippensburg freshman Rachael Murray scored on a free position shot with 16:56 left for her fifth goal of the season, four of which have come in the last three games after she had a hat trick in Thursday's loss to Millersville.

Senior Katie Irwin and sophomore Liz DiNunno also scored for the Lady Raiders while sophomore Brooke Miller totaled 10 or more saves in goal for the third time this season, stopping 12 Laker shots. She also added three ground balls.

Shippensburg was outshot 41-19, but did force Mercyhurst's Jessica Raniero to make a season-high 10 saves. The Lady Raiders held a 13-11 edge in draw controls, but committed 26 turnovers.

Shippensburg returns home to face Slippery Rock at Robb Sports Complex on Wednesday, looking for its second win in the last three games. The Lady Raiders, who swept the season series with IUP on Saturday, will also look to the same against The Rock who lost 19-1 to Shippensburg at home back on March 25.