CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Chapman University women's lacrosse team came up on the wrong side of a back-and-forth battle with a 10-9 loss in the SCIAC Tournament championship match at Pomona-Pitzer. The lead changed hands three times and the match was tied five times in a tight battle throughout.

Chapman scored the first three goals of the match but saw the lead quickly disappear. Pomona-Pitzer scored four goals over a five-minute span to take the lead at 4-3. However, another three-goal run for Chapman gave the Panthers a 6-4 lead at the half. Tara Sonnemaker made the biggest of her five first-half saves on a free position shot at the end of the half to preserve the lead.

Six different Panthers joined in on the scoring action in the first half in a balanced effort. Chapman also dominated on the draws, winning eight draw controls to the Sagehens' 3 in the first half.

Pomona-Pitzer set the tone in the second with two quick goals from Sarah Markowitz and Rebecca Long. Brooke Martini regained the lead for the Panthers just over a minute later and Kelsey Mackin became the seventh Panther to score a goal when she took advantage of a power play opportunity with 22:41 to go. Mackin's goal put the Panthers up 8-6.

Pomona-Pitzer answered with a three-goal run, which included Markowitz's third goal of the match, to take a 9-8 lead with 14:15 left. Stacey Zuppa scored her second goal with just over nine minutes to go to tie the match at 9-9. Long scored the eventual game-winner with eight minutes to go for the Sagehens.

The Panthers held a 15-6 draw control advantage but turned the ball over 11 times to the Sagehens' two. After winning the draw control after the go-ahead goal, Chapman earned a free position shot but McKenzie Scott came up with the huge save.

The Sagehens' completed the ensuing clear, worked the ball around their attacking zone and ran out the final five-plus minutes on the clock.

The Panthers 15 wins this season are the most in school history. They will be tuned in to the Selection Show tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow on ncaa.com.

by Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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