HACKETTSTOWN, NJ - The EMU women's lacrosse team wrapped up its 2022 away schedule Saturday with a trip up to New Jersey to take on Centenary. 

The Cyclones picked up four first-quarter goals but the Royals, playing three down for the match, responded and put up a fight, ultimately falling 13-9. 

Highlights

• Centenary controlled the opening six minutes of the first quarter against EMU, jumping out to a 4-0 lead midway through the frame. The Royals responded, however, with three of their own to claw back in. After a successful clear attempt, Amber Bonds took the ball behind the Centenary goal to her right and beat the keeper to cut the Cyclones lead to three. Less than 40 seconds later, Grace Hughes scored on a free position shot before assisting on Skylar Hedgepeth's goal at the 5:46 mark to cut the lead to one. Cristal Narciso made two saves in the final minutes to keep the game within a goal at the end of the first quarter. 
• The Cyclones extended their lead at the 9:28 mark of the second quarter before EMU responded once again, with Hedgepeth picking up her second goal of the game to make the score 5-4. Narciso picked up two more saves for the Royals but Centenary added another goal late in the quarter to extend the lead back to two. With 3:07 left before the half, KC Argueta-Rivas picked up her first collegiate goal. Arianna Nixon found a streaking Argueta-Rivas around 25 yards out who ran past the defenders and beat the keeper to her left to bring EMU back within one. The Cyclones would add one more before the half and take a 7-5 lead into the break. 
• Back-to-back goals for Centenary pushed their lead to four at the start of the third but four big saves from Narciso kept the game close before Centenary added another to take a 10-5 lead. Argueta-Rivas responded with a pair of goals late in the half, within 46 seconds of each other, to cut the EMU deficit to three. 
• Courtney Crawford added a goal for EMU in the fourth quarter and Argueta-Rivas scored her fourth of the game but Centenary added three more of their own in the final frame to pick up the win. 
• Offensively, Argueta-Rivas led the way for EMU with a team-high four goals on just five shots. Hedgepeth added two while Bonds, Crawford and Hughes all had one. Narciso finished with a game-high four saves. 

What's Next

EMU will have some time off before returning back to the field. They'll welcome Randolph to Harrisonburg on Wednesday, April 20 for a 4 pm start. 

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the lacrosse program this year follow EMU on Twitter and Instagram, like EMU Athletics on Facebook or visit our website.