HARRISONBURG, Va. - The EMU women's lacrosse team was back on the field Saturday, taking on Sweet Briar in a non-conference matchup. 

The Vixens took a 4-0 lead into the half, EMU battled back with four second half goals but Sweet Briar escaped with a 6-4 win. EMU falls to 0-3 while Sweet Briar improves to 3-2, 0-0 CSAC. 

Highlights

• The Royals defense kept Sweet Briar off the board for the first five minutes of the first quarter with goalkeeper Cristal Narciso coming up with three big saves to keep the game scoreless. SB picked up their first goal at the 4:56 mark to take a 1-0 lead. EMU had a chance in the third minute when Amber Bonds had a free position shot but the Vixens keeper came up with the save. Narciso picked up another save at the end of the quarter as Sweet Briar took the one-goal lead after one. 
• Sweet Briar added three goals in the second quarter but Narciso added four more saves to keep EMU in the game, with the Royals trailing 4-0 at the break. 
• Right after halftime, Bonds took started with the ball behind the net, went to her right and beat the keeper to cut into the Vixens lead. Later in the second, Courtney Crawford found a cutting Skylar Hedgepeth who beat the Sweet Briar keeper to her right and brought EMU within two. Narciso added another save to keep things at 4-2 heading to the final frame. 
• SBC scored what would be the game-winning goal in the 11th minute of the fourth quarter, but EMU would continue to fight to chip away at the lead. After an EMU defensive stop, Bonds picked up the ground ball and took it the length of the field, beating the Vixens keeper once again to cut the deficit to two. After a Hedgepeth shot was saved, Crawford picked up the ground ball and put it past the goalkeeper to cut the lead to 5-4. But with 2:15 left, Sweet Briar would tack on another goal and EMU wasn't able to respond this time, ultimately falling by two. 
• Bonds led the way with a pair of goals on five shots on goal. Hedgepeth and Crawford each had a goal while Crawford also picked up an assist. Narciso finished the game with 14 saves. 

What's Next

EMU will be back in action next Saturday when they travel to New Jersey to take on Centenary for a noon matchup. 

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