NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Jaspers dropped a hard fought 8-7 decision to the Columbia Lions on Saturday night at Robert K. Kraft Field. With the loss, Manhattan closes its season with a 4-13 overall record.
It was an evenly matched game for most of the way, with Manhattan striking first, courtesy of sophomore Stefanie Ranagan. Columbia would go on a 4-0 run to take a 4-1 lead before the Jaspers brought the game to within a single goal by halftime, at 4-3.
The two teams scored four goals apiece in the second half, with senior Kelsey Rehain providing the final tally of the evening to cut the Lions lead to a single goal at 8-7. Neither team would score over the final 3:37, and Columbia held on to nab the win.
Paige Cuscovitch of Columbia and Jaspers sophomore Kaitlyn Cunningham each netted hat tricks in the contest. Columbia's Jessie Ambrose and Manhattan's Rehain scored two goals apiece. Ambrose had a game-high six ground balls. Junior Donna Jo DiNorcia recorded the only other Jasper goal of the night.
Junior starting goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli made six saves in the game and collected a team-high five ground balls.
DiNorcia led the squad in both points (32) and goals (24). Five other Jaspers had at least 17 goals on the year. They are: Rehain, Ranagan, junior Domenica O'Brey, sophomore Megan Yarusso and Cunningham.
Defensively, Fiorinelli finished the spring wih a team-high 47 ground balls. Junior Caitlin Hynes and senior Clare Kerrisk had 27 and 26, respectively. Hynes also led the team with 17 caused turnovers.
Manhattan won it's final two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) games of 2014 under first-year head coach Elizabeth Weber, improving on its 1-5 mark in conference play last season.