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Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Box Score

LOS ANGELES (Mar. 25, 2014) - A slim early lead gave way to a second-half drought for the North Central College women's lacrosse team on Tuesday, as the Cardinals lost for the second time in as many days in a 14-9 setback against Occidental College at Patterson Field.

North Central dropped to 1-2 on the season despite leading for most of the early going, while the Tigers improved to 7-1 after scoring nine unanswered goals in a 17-minute stretch of the second period.

The Cardinals held Occidental scoreless for the first 17 minutes, taking the lead after goals by Gina FIsher and Leea LoPresti. The Tigers pulled ahead, 3-2, after Tori Larson scored twice in a 61-second span late in the first half, but Fisher tied the score by finding the net with 3:02 to play in the period and LoPresti nudged the visitors in front by scoring with 1:30 on the clock. 

Rachael Houp and Jordyn McFarlane each scored early in the second period to help stake the Cardinals to a 6-4 advantage with just under 25 minutes to play, but Occidental followed with a game-defining stretch of nine straight goals scored by six different players. North Central was limited to four shot attempts during that span, and Tiger goalkeeper Kristin Hee stopped three of them, including two free-position shots. Houp tacked on two goals and McFarlane added another in the final five minutes of play, but the Cardinals were unable to threaten the home team's lead.

Houp led North Central in scoring with three goals, while McFarlane caused three turnovers and Rebecca James turned in five ground balls. Sandy Stasaitis posted a season-high nine saves in goal.

North Central caps off its three-game stretch on the West Coast on Thursday, taking on Pomona-Pitzer Colleges at 7 p.m. Pacific time. Links to live video coverage and in-game statistics can be accessed by clicking HERE.