RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan women's lacrosse team dropped a 17-9 decision to Brown University (7-4) on Sunday morning at Gaelic Park. Bears' sophomore attacker Kaela McGilloway led all players with five goals and five assists. Manhattan's (1-10) offensive effort was anchored by midfielders Helen Kerrisk and Phelicia VanOverbeke who each scored two goals, along with Caralyn Hickey's goal and two assists.
Brown scored three straight goals in the first five minutes of action and did not trail in the contest. Kerrisk got Manhattan on the scoreboard with 23:13 left in the first half off a free-position opportunity, which sparked a Lady Jaspers surge. Eight seconds later, sophomore midfielder Chrissy Gutenberger set up another goal to pull Manhattan within 3-2. After winning the draw control, Guttenberger found Hickey on the fast break for her 16th goal of the season at 23:05.
Guttenberger tied a game-high winning three draw controls and also she scored her team-leading 25th goal of the year.
Manhattan cut its deficit to as few as two goals three times before the Bears scored five of the last six goals of the first half to carry an 11-5 advantage into the break. McGilloway began the scoring flurry with her second goal at 14:57 off a feed from senior attacker Bethany Buzzell. McGilloway posted four goals and dished out four assists in the first half.
The Lady Jaspers played a closer second half receiving four goals off the sticks of Korrin Nash, Guttenberger and two tallies from VanOverbeke. Freshman goalkeeper Julia DiBernardo made five of her seven saves in the second half and Manhattan won seven of 10 draw controls in the period.
Bears' keeper Isabel Harvey earned the win in net yielding five goals and making eight saves over 43:47 minutes of action.
Manhattan converted 4-of-6 free-position opportunities in the contest, but struggled with its clears going 14-for-21 to Brown's 17-for-19 conversion rate. The Bears picked up 23 ground balls to the Lady Jaspers' 16. VanOverbeke led Manhattan in this stat category registering four groundballs in the game.
The Lady Jaspers look to snap its eight game skid on Tuesday in its final non-conference game of the season at Long Island. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Brooklyn.