BUFFALO, N.Y.— Allegheny junior
Shelby Piper joined the program's 100 Goal Club, but it wasn't enough, as the Gatorsfell in nonconference play at Buffalo State University Friday (March 31) 15-11.
Piper joined the exclusive list of 100-goal scorers with her fourth goal of the afternoon with just over 12 minutes left in regulation. She added her fifth goal of the game with 2:25 left to play, and finished with a team-high six points, as she also added an assist. For her career, the Colorado native now has 101 goals and 43 assists, and the 144 points is good for a tie for eighth in team history.
The Bengals struck first two minutes in, taking advantage of a Gator turnover. Less than two minutes later,
Alex Zielinski scored the equalizer on an unassisted shot. Buffalo State responded with a pair of goals to jump ahead, 3-1.
Maddie Olson made up some ground with a free position goal, cutting the lead to one with just over 22 minutes left in the opening half.
For the next 13 minutes, neither team found the back of the net as the Gators and Bengals went back-and-forth. The Bengals eventually broke up the scoreless streak with just over eight minutes to go in the half, extending their lead to 4-2. The Gators were quick to respond as Olson netted her second free position goal of the half to bring the lead down to one once again.
Over the next five minutes, the Bengals scored four goals to bring their lead up to five, 8-3. With 90 seconds to play in the opening half, Olson set
Alexa Maloney up for goal to decrease the lead to 8-5. However, Buffalo State scored one more in the closing minute to take a 9-4 lead into the half.
The Bengals were the first on the scoreboard in the second half but
Jessie Thiessen scored on a free position shot a minute later to bring the lead back down to five. The Gators used the momentum gained from Thiessen's goal to find the back of the net again, as Maloney found Piper cutting in front of the crease less than a minute later to cut the deficit to 10-6.
The Gators continued to roll as Piper ran through the Bengal defense in transition and found Olson wide open in front of the net, bringing the Gators within three. A minute later, Piper scored her second to bring the game within two goals, 10-8. After a Bengal goal, Piper found the net for the third time, making it a two goal game once again with 21 minutes remaining.
The Bengals tacked on three more before Piper connected for her 100th goal on a free position attempt to make the score 14-11. After a 10-minute span without a goal, Piper scored her fifth of the day, cutting the lead to 14-11.
However, with just 1:24 left, the Bengals added one more to secure the win.
Piper led the Gators with six points. Olson had four goals in addition to an assist. Maloney had a goal and an assist while Thiessen and Zielinski also found the back of the net.
Maloney and
Alex Grob had six groundballs apiece to lead the Gators. Thiessen had five draw controls to go with three groundballs.
Taylor Vigneri also had three draw controls
.
Kaelin Clogan made nine saves in net.
The Gators are back in action next Saturday (April 8) at Wittenberg University for a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) matchup.
