Kat Martinelli Action Photo
Matt Mead Photography LLC
Junior Kat Martinelli's game-winner with 26 seconds left gave the Lady Knights an 11-10 win in their PSAC opener at Shippensburg.
11
Winner Gannon University GAN 2-1, 1-0 PSAC
10
Shippensburg SHIP 3-2, 0-1 PSAC
Winner
Gannon University GAN
2-1, 1-0 PSAC
11
Final
10
Shippensburg SHIP
3-2, 0-1 PSAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon University GAN 3 8 11
Shippensburg SHIP 5 5 10

Next Game:

Lock Haven University

3/24/2018 | 1:00 PM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Mar. 24 (Sat) / 1:00 PM
 Lock Haven University

Game Recap: Women's Lacrosse | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Martinelli's Late Goal Pushes Gannon Women's Lacrosse Team Past Ship in PSAC Opener

THE RUNDOWN
  • Final Score: Gannon 11, at Shippensburg 10
  • Records: Gannon (2-1, 1-0), Shippensburg (3-2, 0-1)
  • Location: Shippensburg, Pa. - Robb Sports Complex
  • The Short Story: Junior Kat Martinelli (Airmont, N.Y./Suffern)'s goal provided the game-winner with 26 seconds left as the Gannon women's lacrosse team earned an 11-10 road victory Saturday afternoon at Shippensburg in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opener for both programs.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Sophomore Jessica Hudak (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-LaSalle) produced the contest's first goal 44 seconds after the opening draw.
  • Shippensburg responded with three consecutive goals and five of the next six to assume a 5-2 lead with 3:27 remaining in the first half.
  • Senior Leilani King (St. Albans, Vt./Bellows Free Academy) gave Gannon an important momentum boost heading into halftime when she scored a free-position goal as time expired, cutting the deficit to 5-3 at the break.
  • The two teams split the opening two scores of the second half, before sophomore Erin Rotondo (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) and King netted back-to-back free-position goals to tie the match at six with 22:01 to play.
  • After Shippensburg momentarily regained the lead at 7-6, Gannon countered with a 4-0 run to take control with a 10-7 advantage.
  • Junior Alexa Bower (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) ignited the run with a free-position score that forged a 7-7 deadlock.
  • Rotondo followed with back-to-back goals, before King added an unassisted score to create a three-goal advantage with 12:22 remaining.
  • The Ship wasn't ready to sink though as the Raiders exploded for three straight goals to tie the match at 10 with 1:41 remaining.
  • Shippensburg won the ensuing draw, but Martinelli caused a turnover 14 seconds later. Hudak scooped up the ground ball and Gannon called time-out.
  • The Lady Knights got three cracks at the game-winner. The first shot was turned away by the Ship goalkeeper, before King grabbed the rebound and fired high. Gannon retained possession and Martinelli then scored the decisive goal off an assist from junior Micaela Capozzo (Medford, Mass./Pinkerton Academy) with 26 ticks left.
  • King followed with her eighth draw control of the match and the Lady Knights were able to run out the clock to secure an 11-10 conference victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Saturday's contest represented the PSAC opener for both programs. 
  • Gannon generated a 34-32 advantage in shots, producing a 21-12 edge during the second half after being out-shot 20-13 during the first 30 minutes.
  • The Lady Knights also had the best of play in ground balls (27-21) and fewest fouls (15-27).
  • Shippensburg countered with the better statistics in draw controls (12-10) and fewest turnovers (19-21). 
  • King and Rotondo led the offensive charge with four goals each. King added one assist, eight ground balls, eight draw controls and three caused turnovers.
  • Hudak, Bower and Martinelli chipped in one score each.
  • Twelve different Lady Knights secured a ground ball. Senior Jessica Lambert (Livonia, N.Y./Livonia) topped the defenders with three.
  • Renwick made a season-high 15 saves while playing all 60 minutes in goal.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Saturday's contest was third of a season-opening four-match road swing for Gannon.
  • The Lady Knights defeated the Raiders for the fifth straight time, increasing their lead in the all-time series to 12-2-1.
  • Gannon defeated Shippensburg in the closing minute for the second consecutive season. Last year's game-winner was scored with 60 seconds remaining.
  • King recorded her 22nd career hat trick while Rotondo added her fourth.
  • Renwick's 15 saves represented the most by a Gannon goalkeeper since Martinelli turned away 16 shots April 12, 2016 during a 14-11 victory against Slippery Rock at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • Gannon 27 ground balls were its most since having 28 during a 9-8 win against Shippensburg April 8, 2017 at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • King moved past Kimberly Neagle (2011-14) and into 14th place all-time at Gannon with 219 career points.
  • Capozzo snapped a tie with Ashley Mozingo (2014-17) and moved into 16th place by herself for most draw controls (54) since 2000.
  • King jumped past Tessa Mitchell (2014-17) and into 13th place all-time at Gannon with 133 career goals.
  • The Lady Knights' current four-match road swing is the program's longest since opening the 2015 campaign with four straight road affairs.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon concludes its season-opening four-match road swing Wednesday, March 21 at Wheeling Jesuit.
  • The non-conference affair is scheduled for 4 p.m.
  • A live video broadcast will be available at https://team1sports.com/wjuathletics.
  • Live gameday statistics will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/wju/wlax.
  • Gannon is 2-0 all-time against Wheeling Jesuit, winning 18-8 on the road in 2015 and 12-7 at home in 2016.
  • The two programs didn't face off last season.
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Players Mentioned

Alexa Bower

#14 Alexa Bower

MF
5' 5"
Junior
Psychology
Micaela Capozzo

#6 Micaela Capozzo

MF
5' 7"
Junior
Pre-Physical Therapy/Sport and Exercise Science
Jess Hudak

#7 Jess Hudak

A
5' 6"
Sophomore
Athletic Training
Leilani King

#23 Leilani King

MF
5' 10"
Senior
Mechanical Engineering
Jessica Lambert

#8 Jessica Lambert

D
5' 3"
Senior
Physical Therapy
Kat Martinelli

#25 Kat Martinelli

A
5' 8"
Junior
History
Erin Rotondo

#13 Erin Rotondo

MF
5' 5"
Sophomore
Nursing

Players Mentioned

Alexa Bower

#14 Alexa Bower

5' 5"
Junior
Psychology
MF
Micaela Capozzo

#6 Micaela Capozzo

5' 7"
Junior
Pre-Physical Therapy/Sport and Exercise Science
MF
Jess Hudak

#7 Jess Hudak

5' 6"
Sophomore
Athletic Training
A
Leilani King

#23 Leilani King

5' 10"
Senior
Mechanical Engineering
MF
Jessica Lambert

#8 Jessica Lambert

5' 3"
Senior
Physical Therapy
D
Kat Martinelli

#25 Kat Martinelli

5' 8"
Junior
History
A
Erin Rotondo

#13 Erin Rotondo

5' 5"
Sophomore
Nursing
MF