Box Score Gameday Program

PATCHOGUE, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) - Courtney Gallagher fueled the SUNY College at Old Westbury women's lacrosse team, registering a game-high four goals, to a  7-5 win over the Purchase Panthers on Monday afternoon in the “Battle of the SUNY Panthers” from the St. Joseph's-L.I. Outdoor Athletic Complex. Old Westbury (2-7 overall, 1-4) collected their first-ever Skyline Conference victory, while Purchase drops to 0-4, 0-3 in league play.

Prior to the game, Old Westbury honored the 2013 senior class of Sara Braverman, Lydia Coleman, Cristina Kettell and JoAnna Kettell for their contributions to the women's lacrosse program.

Ana Noens also netted two goals for the Panthers and goalie Sara Braverman earned her second win, as she stopped seven Purchase shots between the posts.
Samantha Rich and Cat Vicardi scored two goals apiece to lead the visiting Panthers.

After Vicardi gave Purchase an early 1-0 lead, the host Panthers kept their composure with four straight unanswered goals, taking a 4-1 advantage in the process. 

Old Westbury's JoAnna Kettell tied the game at 1-1 on a free position goal. One minute and twenty seconds later, Gallagher fired the ball into the back of the Purchase net, off of a Jessica Walker pass, giving Old Westbury a 2-1 lead.  Missed opportunities by Purchase extended Old Westbury's lead.

After Vicardi's shot sailed wide right, Old Westbury successfully cleared the ball down the field, and Gallagher found Noens for a 3-1 edge at the 16:50 mark. 

Gallagher took advantage of a Purchase turnover, as she netted her second goal with 14:37 left to play in the first.

Rich's goal at the 9:55 mark of the first sliced Old Westbury's lead in half, 4-2, but Noens stretched the Panthers lead back to three, 5-2, on her second goal with 2:36 on the clock.

Vicardi trimmed Old Westbury's lead to 5-3 with a strike 7:36 into the second half. The ball would find Gallagher's pocket and she pushed Old Westbury to their largest lead, 7-3. She scored her third goal at the 18:26 mark, off of a Walker assist, and then posted her final score with 12:09 on a free position goal.

Purchase proceeded to cut the deficit in half, 7-5, with 6:27 to play, on goals by Christina Rupp and Samantha Rich, respectively, but could not get closer. In the final five minutes, Sara Braverman denied the visiting Panthers to inch closer, as she stopped Vicardi's shot at the 4:26 mark, and caused a turnover with less than two minutes remaining in the game to preserve Old Westbury's first-ever conference win.

Old Westbury held a slim, 25-23, shot advantage and picked up two more ground balls than Purchase, 19-17.

SAGE COLLEGE IS UP NEXT FOR OLD WESTBURY: Old Westbury concludes their inaugural season on a seven-game road trip which starts on Wednesday (March 27) when they take on the Sage Gators in Skyline Conference action.  The game will be played at Union College's Frank Bailey Field with the opening draw control to commence at 4 p.m. in Schenectady, New York.

For the latest news on the Panthers, log on to www.oldwestburypanthers.com – the official site for Old Westbury athletics. Also, become a follower of the Panthers on Twitter (OW_Panthers) and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (Old Westbury Panthers Athletics / Old Westbury Athletics Alumni).