ALFRED, NY- The Alfred University women's lacrosse team concluded their regular season with an 11-4 loss to Elmira College on Saturday from Yunevich Stadium. Prior to the start of the game, the Saxons recognized seniors Julia Myszkiewski (Buffalo, NY/Amherst), Sarah Turner (Bentonville, AR/Bentonville), and Caitlin Zimmer (Waverly, NY/Waverly) for their successful collegiate careers. Alfred also honored 2020 seniors Hannah McNamara, Paige Rowlee, and Paige Schmidt. 

"Julia, Sarah, and Caitlin all contributed to the program in their own special ways," Head Coach Rebecca Streeten said. "Julia came from a lacrosse background and continued to develop while at Alfred. Sarah was a leader and impactful player in each of her four years here. Even though Caitlin just joined the team last year, she brought a sense of fresh energy to the team. All will be greatly missed, but not forgotten. 

Alfred (1-5, 0-3 Empire 8) finished 16-of-20 in clear attempts, while Elmira (5-4, 0-0 Empire 8) ended 10-of-15. The Saxons picked up 22 ground balls and won seven draw controls. 

The Saxons were led by sophomore attack Brenna Turner (Bentonville, AR/Bentonville), who finished with a team-high two goals. Graduate attack Bella Ehms (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) and graduate midfielder Karson Richenberg (Byron, NY/Byron-Bergen) each recorded a goal. Sophomore defender Madeline Shaw (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart) was credited with one assist to go with a team-high three caused turnovers. First-year goalie Alyssa Piechota (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) totaled 17 saves; her second-highest total of the spring season.

"Our team made strides throughout the season," Streeten said. "Comparing our first game as a team versus Elmira to now, each individual player improved as well as the group as a whole. We certainly narrowed the gap."

The Soaring Eagles got on the board early with two consecutive goals in the opening three minutes of action. The Saxons retaliated after Richenberg found the back of the net at the 20:00 mark of the first half. Elmira scored twice more before Ehms found an opening to cut the deficit. The Soaring Eagles found the back of the net twice more before entering halftime with a 6-2 advantage over the Saxons.

Elmira opened the second half with an early goal, but the Saxons relied on Turner to score two goals within a three-minute span to gain momentum. The Soaring Eagles found the back of the net four more times, ultimately keeping Alfred out of reach.

"After completing my first season at AU, the biggest thing I learned is what it truly means to be a Saxon," Streeten said. "I was welcomed into the team and community without skipping a beat and know it's a solid foundation to only continue to build on. I'm already looking forward to start preparing for next year and hoping we have a much fuller year of lacrosse head."