Box Score

Purchase, NY (Mar. 20, 2013) – Women's lacrosse took another step forward in Year 1 Wednesday night, taking a strong lead in the first half and nearly upending Bard College before the more experience Raptors pulled away in the second half for a 16-7 victory.

The Panthers (0-3), still searching for the program's first win, led 3-0 early, but the Raptors (2-1) scored five first-half goals to tie the Panthers by intermission. Purchase had answered Bard's rebound over the final minutes of the first, going goal-for-goal.

In the second, the Raptors regrouped and outscored Purchase 11-2 over the final 30 minutes.

“We're improving,” said Purchase head coach Devon Whalen. “We scored seven goals and made some nice plays throughout the night. We're making strides with every passing game. The team is learning on the job, but you can see vast improvement from game-to-game.”

Bard was led by Stephanie Lamont and her five goals. Joanna Regan added four and Victoria Fleisher tallied three of her own.

The Panthers were paced by Samantha Rich (FR/Providence, RI), who scored three goals, and Christina Rupp (SO/Ossining, NY), who scored two goals. Fellow newcomers Antonia Nastasi (FR/Saratoga, NY) and Alyssa Rosado (SR/Brooklyn, NY) also scored goals on the night.

Although the final score wasn't what the Panthers wished for, the team was pleased with the overall performance and was playing with heavy hearts and for a good cause. Prior to the game, the Panthers and Whalen dedicated the night to the Seton Hill women's lacrosse team. A road trip by Seton Hill came to a horrifying end Saturday when the team's bus veered off the Pennsylvania Turnpike and crashed into a tree, killing a pregnant coach, her unborn child and the driver, and injuring numerous others.

Seton Hill University team players and coaches were among the 23 people aboard when the bus crashed just before 9 a.m. No other vehicle was involved, and police couldn't immediately say what caused the crash.

Many DI, DII and DIII programs around the country have joined hands in paying respect to Seton Hill. A facebook chain has been created and Purchase was in full support of the cause, with Assistant Athletic Director Francesca DeLorenzo, Whalen and the Panthers lax team uniting before the game for pictures and to pay respect to Seton Hill's head coach Kristina Quigley, 30, of Greensburg, PA. She was flown to a hospital but died there of her injuries Saturday, Cumberland County authorities said. Quigley was about six months pregnant and her unborn child didn't survive, authorities said. The bus driver, Anthony Guaetta, also died at the scene.

After an emotional evening and a tough loss, Purchase will look to regroup on Spring Break when it travels to NCC for a road game on Mar. 23.