Feb. 20, 2013
Despite 16 saves from senior goalkeeper Chelsea Pasfield and four goals by freshman Mallory Schonk, the Vanderbilt lacrosse team dropped a 13-8 decision Wednesday at No. 20 Boston College.
Pasfield’s save total marked a career high, as the Alexandria, Va., native stopped 55 percent of the shots that Boston College put on goal. The outing marked the most saves by a Vanderbilt goalkeeper since former Commodore and current Boston University assistant coach Natalie Wills made 17 saves against Notre Dame on April 15, 2009.
“In the 16 years that I’ve been a head coach, Chelsea’s performance today was one of the best I’ve seen from a goalkeeper,” VU Head Coach Cathy Swezey said. “She certainly kept us in the game and I am extremely proud of her effort.”
Pasfield’s performance kept the Commodores within striking distance despite a lopsided shot total that favored Boston College by a 44-14 margin.
The Eagles got on the board at the 27:09 mark when Mikaela Rix scored the game’s first goal. But the Commodores answered quickly, with freshman Kelly Chandler scoring off an assist from classmate Amanda Lockwood just 22 seconds later. Vanderbilt would take the lead 38 seconds after that when senior Carly Linthicum netted an unassisted goal.
Boston College tied the game at 20:19 and took its second lead at 12:56. The Eagles would score six consecutive goals to stretch their lead to five before Schonk scored off an assist from senior Olivia Goodman with 1:54 remaining in the first half. The Commodore defense stood strong on the ensuing BC possession to keep the score as 7-3 at the break.
Vanderbilt hung tough in the second half despite losing Linthicum, the team’s leading scorer, just four minutes into the period when she was shown her second yellow card of the game. The Commodores managed to cut Boston College’s lead down to three goals on three occasions. Schonk netted three of her four goals in the second stanza.
The Commodores trailed 10-7 with 13 minutes remaining before the Eagles scored three straight goals to solidify the result. Schonk’s fourth goal of the game, again assisted by Goodman, set the final margin of 13-8.
Schonk’s four goals were matched only by BC’s Sarah Mannelly, who also scored three times in the second half. Defensively, the Commodores were led by senior Paige Cahill and freshman Amanda Lockwood, who each caused two Eagle miscues. Pasfield and junior Brandi Byner both accounted for a pair of ground balls.
Vanderbilt returns home to play host to top-ranked Northwestern this Sunday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. CT at the VU Lacrosse Complex. Admission to all games this season at Vanderbilt is free.
