California Golden Bears Athletics
California
MPSF Championships
California Tops Denver In Inaugural MPSF Championship Semifinal, 17-12
5/6/2004 12:00 PM | Lacrosse
May 6, 2004
DENVER, Colo. - California scored four unanswered goals in the closing minutes of the first half to build a lead it would not relinquish, defeating Denver, 17-12, in the inaugural MPSF Championship semifinals Thursday evening at Pioneer Field. The Golden Bears went into halftime with an 11-6 lead that proved the difference after both teams played the second stanza even, six all.
Senior attacker Colleen O'Mara and sophomore attacker Leanne Zilioli each scored four goals for the Bears. O'Mara also had an assist, recording five points in the game and capturing Cal's career-points record with 167. Junior midfielder Molly Brady added three goals and an assist and freshman midfielder Elizabeth Reifsnyder came on strong for Cal with two goals and two assists.
Denver (7-11 overall) scored first three minutes into the contest on an unassisted goal from Steph Greenlees, who finished the game with four goals to lead all Pioneer scorers. Cal (9-8 overall) responded 3:04 later with its first goal in an odd reversal from the Bears' norm: O'Mara scored the Bears' first goal on an assist from Brady, the team's assist leader notching the goal on the team's scoring leader's pass. But it was just that kind of chemistry on the field that kept Cal on top of its game and allowed the Bears to answer each of Denver's goals with one or two of their own.
Pulling within one, 7-6, with 3:48 remaining in the first half, Denver continued biting at the Bears' heels. But Cal had an answer to that, one that proved the difference in the match. The Bears rolled off four straight unanswered goals to take an 11-6 lead into the second half. Zilioli scored the first (3:17 remaining), Brady the second and fourth (2:30, 0:21) and sophomore defender Schuyler Sokolow the third (1:17).
A free-position shot for Denver gave the Pioneers the first score of the second half, but Cal responded again, unwilling to relinquish its lead, rolling off another five straight goals to grab a 16-7 lead with 11:14 left on the clock. Denver outscored the Bears 5-1 over the final 5:59, but by then Cal had already built up enough of a lead to hold onto the victory.
Freshman goalkeeper Hilary Lynch tallied eight saves for the Bears, who outshot the Pioneers, 41-25.
Cal will battle Stanford for the MPSF Championship and conference title Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. on Pioneer Field. Stanford defeated UC Davis, 17-3, in earlier action Thursday, led by Megan Burker's three goals and two assists. The Cardinal opened a 7-0 lead before the Aggies' first goal and responded with nine unanswered goals. Denver and UC Davis will play in the consolation game at 11 a.m.
California Women's Lacrosse Result:
Pioneer Field, Denver, Colo.
Score By Period 1 2 Total Denver 6 6 - 12 California 11 6 - 17
GOALS: Cal - O'Mara 4, Zilioli 4, Brady 3, Reifsnyder 2, Wu 1, Preble 1, Sokolow 1, Hafkenschiel 1; Denver - Greenlees 4, Baldwin 3, Jack 3, Broderick 1, Bourdelaise 1.
ASSISTS: Cal - Reifsnyder 2, Brady 1, O'Mara 1, Wu 1, Zilioli 1; Denver - Greenlees 2, Baldwin 1.
SAVES: Cal - Lynch 8; Denver - Schneider 15.
SHOTS: Cal 41, Denver 25.
FREE-POSITION SHOTS: Cal 7-14, Denver 3-5.
GROUND BALLS: Cal 35, Denver 21.
DRAW CONTROLS: Cal 16, Denver 15.
TURNOVERS: Cal 13, Denver 15.
FOULS: Cal 31, Denver 34.
