GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Becky Bucha (Waccabuc, NY/John Jay) tied a career high with six goals and Julika Blankenship (Crumpton, MD/Kent County) scored four times to lead sixth-ranked Gettysburg past Messiah 18-3 in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Thursday.
The duo produced six of the games' first seven goals as the Bullets (2-0) jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead with 11:26 left in the first half and cruised to the win.
Bucha added two assists to give her eight points on the day and 17 in her first two games this season. She posted team highs with 71 goals and 89 points a year ago.
Blankenship scored the opening goal of each half and added one assist for five points in only her second collegiate game. Megan Murphy (Wilton, CT/Wilton) collected a goal, two assists and 10 draw controls while Anna Haugen (Bethpage, NY/Bethpage) scored twice in the win.
Regan Downton led the Falcons (1-1) with one goal and one assist.
Returning to action for the first time since a dramatic 14-13 overtime win against Mary Washington last Thursday, the Bullets wasted little time in taking charge.
Blankenship beat Messiah goalie Rachel Barr off a behind-the-net feed from Bucha only 14 seconds into the game and Murphy followed with a goal from Amy Farrell (Ambler, PA/Upper Dublin) at the 22:01 mark for a 2-0 Gettysburg lead.
Bucha converted a free-position opportunity at 20:38, then set up Blankenship at 17:37 to make it 4-0. Three more goals by Bucha over the next 6:11 pushed the Bullets' lead to 7-0 before Messiah cracked the scoreboard on a Heather Greer goal with 8:27 left before halftime.
Susie Mitchell (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) answered by finishing a nifty spin move less than a minute later and the teams traded goals for a 9-2 Bullet lead at the half.
Two goals apiece from Bucha and Blankenship and a one from Haugen pushed the Gettysburg advantage to 14-2 only 7:28 into the second half.
Beth Levins scored the Falcons' final goal at 14:34 before Gettysburg closed out the scoring with single tallies from Karyn Pilling (Hatboro, PA/Upper Moreland), Katie Merriken (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) and Alie Madden (Huntington, NY/Huntington), the first of her collegiate career.
Michele Centrella (Greenville, DE/Tatnall School) and Liz Borucki (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) combined for five saves while playing 30 minutes apiece in the Gettysburg net.
Barr finished with 12 saves for Messiah.
The Bullets return to action on Saturday, Mar. 17 at Lynchburg College. Game time is 1 p.m.
| Score by Half |
1 |
2 |
- |
F |
| #6 Gettysburg (2-0) |
9 |
9 |
- |
18 |
| Messiah (1-1) |
2 |
1 |
- |
3 |
Goals:
Gettysburg: Becky Bucha 6, Julika Blankenship 4, Anna Haugen 2, Casey Costello, Megan Murphy, Alie Madden, Katie Merriken, Susie Mitchell, Karyn Pilling.
Messiah: Beth Levins, Heather Greer, Regan Downton.
Assists:
Gettysburg: Murphy 2, Bucha 2, Merriken, Blankenship, Amy Farrell.
Messiah: Christen Beaver, Downton.
Shots: Gettysburg 35, Messiah 11.
Ground Balls: Gettysburg 32, Messiah 17.
Goalies: Gettysburg (Michele Centrella – 30 minutes, 3 saves, 2 GA; Liz Borucki – 30 minutes, 2 saves, 1 GA), Messiah (Rachel Barr – 60 minutes, 12 saves, 18 GA).
Draw Controls: Gettysburg 15, Messiah 8.
Caused Turnovers: Gettysburg 13, Messiah N/A.
Turnovers: Gettysburg 22, Messiah N/A.
Fouls: Gettysburg 9, Messiah N/A.
Free Position: Gettysburg 4 of 6, Messiah 0 of 2.
