SPARKS, Md. (Apr. 8, 2017)- Seniors Abby Voelkner (Denville, N.J. / Morris Knolls) and Priscilla Ortiz (Denville, N.J. / Morris Knolls) combined for 16 points on 13 goals and three assists as the Centenary University women's lacrosse team dropped an Colonial States Athletic Conference contest to Notre Dame of Maryland University, 23-20 at the US Lacrosse Training Facility on Saturday afternoon.  

Megan Morales totaled eight points on eight goals for the Gators who improve to 3-5 overall and 3-2 in the CSAC. Voelkner totaled eight points on seven goals and one assist for the Cyclones who fall to 2-7 overall and 2-4 in the CSAC.

After a seven minute scoring drought to open the contest, Centenary lit up the scoreboard at William G. Tierney field first with a goal by Ortiz at the 22:56 mark. Notre Dame responded with eight unanswered goals, including four from Morales as the Gators took a commanding 8-1 lead. It took Voelkner just over 20 minutes to score her first goal of the afternoon, netting a score at the 10:25 mark. Sophomore Krysta Astengo (Clifton, N.J. / Clifton) continued to help the Clones chip away at the lead as Centenary trailed 8-3.

Voelkner netted another three goals as the Cyclones brought the lead down to 9-6 with 6:33 remaining in the opening stanza. Despite one more goal from Voelkner with just under two minutes to play, the Gators scored the last four out of five goals to hold a 13-7 advantage at intermission.

In the second half, the Gators increased their lead back to 16-7 with three unanswered goals that opened the half. Freshman Kassidy Scheuring (Hampton Bays, N.Y. / Hampton Bays) totaled five of her six points in the second stanza, including three goals and two assists that helped the Cyclones rally from an 18-9 deficit. Voelkner, Ortiz, Scheuring and junior Katie O'Connell (Nutley, N.J. / Nutley) all scored multiple goals as Centenary made a late run, scoring the final six out of the last seven with just over five minutes to play.

Freshman Juliana Arias (Dover, N.J. / Morris Hills) scored her first goal of the afternoon, while Ortiz netted the final two goals of the afternoon to cut the Gators lead down to 23-20 with 54 seconds remaining. Despite the strong effort late in the second half, the Cyclones just ran out of time as Notre Dame held on for the victory.

Ortiz added seven draw controls, five groundballs, and a caused turnover, while Voelkner totaled six draw controls and three groundballs. Sophomore Nicole Soriero (Monroe Township, N.J. / Monroe Township) tallied five groundballs and a draw control, while O'Connell finished with two groundballs and two caused turnovers. Senior Kelsey Barofski (White Township, N.J. / Belvidere) scooped up four groundballs, while sophomore Renee Hack (Old Bridge, N.J. / Bishop George Ahr) made 10 saves in 60 minutes of work between the pipes for Centenary.

Head Coach Julie Moir and the Cyclones will return to action in Purchase, N.Y. on Tuesday, Apr. 11^th, against the Valiants of Manhattanville College at 7:00 p.m.