ASHLAND, Va. – Senior Bella Samper (Spring, Texas/Klein Oak) scored three goals and added a pair of assists as the Randolph-Macon women's lacrosse team was nipped by Shenandoah 15-14 in ODAC action on Wednesday evening.

The Basics

Score: Shenandoah 15, Randolph-Macon 14

Location/Venue: Ashland, Va./Day Field

Records: R-MC 2-6, 1-3 ODAC; Shenandoah 4-6, 3-2 ODAC

How It Happened

• Samper scored the game's first goal just over a minute into the contest. The Hornets had the next two goals before Samper tied it with 21 minutes left in the first half. SU would get the next two scores before Samper assisted on a goal by junior Lily Henderson (Manakin-Sabot, Va./St. Catherine's) to make it a one-goal game. The Hornets pushed the lead back to two before junior McKenzie Hynson (Pasadena, Md./Northeast) again made it a one-goal difference at 5-4 with just under 10 minutes remaining. SU netted the next three goals to go up 8-4 with two minutes left. Senior Erin Mattone (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) scored with 1:42 remaining and sophomore Kayla Ross (Gambrills, Md./Arundel) connected on a free position shot with 16 seconds left as the Yellow Jackets would trail 8-6 at halftime.
• Senior Natalie Webster (Midlothian, Va./Midlothian) netted the first goal of the second half to pull R-MC within one at 8-7. SU scored twice to go up three before Ross scored on a free position shot, Mattone had her second goal, and Samper fed senior Kaylyn Hewes (Linthicum, Md./North County) as the Yellow Jackets tied it at 10-10 with 20:55 remaining. The Hornets would rally and score four straight to take a 14-10 lead midway through the second stanza. Mattone snapped the streak with her third goal before SU pushed the lead back to four at 15-11 with eight minutes left. Webster scored with 6:30 left and Samper added a goal a minute later as R-MC pulled within two. Ross scored with 4:14 remaining to make it a one-goal game, but the Yellow Jackets were not able to net the equalizer as SU claimed the 15-14 win.

By The Numbers

• Samper, Ross and Mattone all had three goals, while Webster tallied two.
• R-MC held a 32-29 edge in shots. Ross led the Yellow Jackets with seven shots, while Webster had six.
• The Yellow Jackets had a 20-14 advantage in ground balls. Samper and Henderson both had four, while Mattone and junior goalkeeper Caraline Cypher (Havre de Grace, Md./Havre de Grace) each had three.
• Hynson led all players with seven draw controls. Kendall Griffis had three, while Henderson and Hewes both had two.
• Cypher recorded seven saves.
• The final goal of the game, No. 14 for R-MC, was scored by Ross, wearing uniform No. 14. The goal was scored with 4:14 remaining. And the date? 4/14

Up Next

• Randolph-Macon will play at Roanoke on Saturday, April 17 at 1 p.m.