NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 21 Penn State Women's Lacrosse team came out on top, 14-13, in a back-and-forth game at Vanderbilt on Sunday. The Commodores cut their deficit to one with under three minutes remaining, but a shot off post with 36 seconds left was picked up by Penn State, who ran out the clock. The Nittany Lions improved to 5-2 this season, while Vanderbilt dropped to 4-3.
Sophomore Lauren Craft scored a career-high four goals to lead the Nittany Lions. Maria Auth added three goals and an assist, her sixth game this season with at least three goals and four points. Sophia Triandafils also contributed three goals and an assist.
Kristin Roberto collected two goals, while Meghan Murray and Regan Nealon each tallied one. Nealon's was her first career goal. Quinn Nicolai and Kara Nealon each recorded one assist, while Olivia Dirks won seven draws. Taylor Suplee made 11 saves in goal, her sixth double-digit save effort of the season.
Vanderbilt was paced by Gwyn Devin's five goals. Karlie Bucci and Gabby Fornia each scored two goals with Fornia adding two assists. Brianne Gross added a goal and two assists, while Emily Mathewson, Cassidy Orban and Callie Sundin each recorded one goal. Paige Gunning secured nine saves.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. The first goal came as Triandafils weaved to the middle of the defense and fired to the net. The second came on a free-position look by Roberto.
A goal by Vanderbilt's Orban was answered by Penn State's Craft, who spun and fired into the net. However, tallies by the Commodores' Mathewson and Devin tied the game at 3-3 with 16:06 remaining in the first half.
Penn State re-took the lead on a man-up goal by Murray, off a pass from Kara Nealon. Craft scored again, this time on a free-position shot, to give Penn State a 5-3 lead with 12:59 to go in the first.
Vandy responded with 3-0 run and all three goals by Devin. The third goal gave the Commodores a 6-5 lead with 9:03 left in the half.
Craft stopped the run with a tally off an assist by Triandafils. Less than a minute later, Auth found the net to give Penn State a 7-6 lead.
After Vandy's Fornia tied the game at 7-7, Auth scored on a free-position look with just two seconds left in the half to give Penn State an 8-7 advantage at the break.
Penn State opened the second half on a 3-0 run. Roberto scored her second goal of the day on a free-position look. Craft found the net off an assist by Auth and Triandafils swung in from behind the net to send one home. Penn State led 11-7 with 22:59 to go in the game.
Vanderbilt cut the deficit in half with goals by Sundin and Bucci. But Auth answered with a tally off a dish by Nicolai to extend the PSU lead to 12-9 with 19:20 remaining.
The Commodores responded with a free-position goal by Fornia and a snipe by Gross. Penn State's Regan Nealon answered with a goal at the 10:59 mark to give the blue and white a 13-11 advantage.
Another goal by Vandy's Bucci brought the difference back to one goal, 13-12, with 8:12 remaining.
Triandafils found the net for a clutch goal to give Penn State a 14-12 advantage with under six minutes to go. Three minutes later, Vandy's Devin scored her fourth of the day to cut the deficit to one.
Vanderbilt got a good look at the goal with 36 seconds left, but the shot hit off the post. Alyssa Sloane picked up the ground ball and fed it back to Suplee, who ran out the clock.
The Nittany Lions open Big Ten play next Friday, March 13 against No. 7 Northwestern. The game will be played in Nashville with a 2 p.m. first draw.
Follow along with the action on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensLacrosse) and Twitter/Instagram (@PennStateWLAX).
Sophia Triandafils had three goals and an assist