SCRANTON, Pa. – The Neumann University Women's Lacrosse team defeated Marywood University in an Atlantic East Conference game on Friday afternoon by a final score of 15-12.
 
Alena Catka led the way with five goals, seven draw controls, and three ground balls. Maggie Miller and Krista Geibler each pick up a hat trick. Arianna Hutchison added two goals and two assists while Rachel Roane had a goal and three assists. Sarah Kiraly made 12 saves in goal.
 
The opening portion of the match was defensive as it took until the 8:50 mark before Marywood scored the first goal. Just under two minutes later, Hutchison found Miller on the edge of the crease to tie the game. Marywood struck again at 5:20 but Catka again equalized 38 seconds later. Catka then gave the Knights the lead and with 55 seconds left in the opening quarter, Geibler converted a free position try to double up the Pacers.
 
Marywood opened the scoring in the second just 32 seconds into the second, but Hutchison had a response 40 seconds later with her hat trick goal coming at the 12:35 mark. The Pacers pulled back within three, four minutes later to make it 7-4. Miller extended the lead to 8-4 but a two-goal run by the Pacers closed out the half.
 
In the third, Catka got the Knights up by three with 12:53 remaining, in what turned out to be a back-and-forth quarter. Roane scored at the 9:56 mark then Marywood went on a two-goal run to get within one. Neumann answered with their own two-goal run as Geibler scored on a free position with 5:18 left and Miller closed the quarter with a goal with 43 seconds left for a 12-9 lead heading to the final quarter.
 
Much like the third, the teams traded goals in the fourth as the Knights did not allow Marywood to get close. Catka scored twice and Geibler once as Neumann secured the win.
 
Neumann (5-7, 3-0 Atlantic East) will return to action on Wednesday afternoon when they challenge the College of New Jersey in a non-conference game starting at 4:00 PM.