WASHINGTON - The American University lacrosse team (3-0) picked up its third straight win after a back-and-forth battle at Longwood (1-2) on Saturday, 20-19.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Junior Emma Vinall was back atop the score sheet for the Eagles with a career-high seven goals. She added one of the team's eight assists to total eight points on the day, tying her career-high from 2019.
• Junior Kendall Goldblum was next with four goals and two assists, followed by senior Casey Harkins' second hat trick of the season for five points (3g, 2a).
• Freshman Emma Hare also added three goals for her first career hat trick, followed by the first career goals from sophomore Katie Pierce who closed with two. Senior Erica Skowron closed out the scoring with one goal alongside her team-high three assists.
• Senior goalkeeper Emma Curtis also came away with a career-high performance, leading the team from goal with nine saves in her 42 minutes of play. Junior Delaney Oliveira also put in 18 minutes and picked up one save.
• Longwood was paced by a five-goal effort from Dana Joss. Emma Johnson and Kaitlyn Luccarelli closed with four each.
• Danielle Burke and Laura O'Toole split time in goal for the Lancers, earning seven saves and four saves, respectively.
• American led Longwood in shots on goal, 31-29, draw controls, 27-13, and free-position shots, 9-6. The Lancers held the advantage in ground balls, 28-19, and total shots, 40-35.
• The Eagles gave up 20 miscues to Longwoods' 13.
• The early minutes of the game looked to set up yet another dominant AU effort as the Eagles established a 7-1 lead within the first 10 minutes behind a quick hat trick from Vinall, a pair of goals from Pierce, and one each for Harkins and Goldblum. 
• The Lancers dominated the middle part of the half, though, putting up six unanswered goals to tie the game before Skowron capitalized on AU's first free position to retake an 8-7 lead. 
• Longwood tied the score twice more before taking a brief 10-9 lead with 4:34 left in the half, but late goals from Vinall and Hare (3) gave the Eagles a two-goal edge at the half, 13-11.
• The Lancers continued to battle for the lead in the second half, tying the game at 13-13, but AU continued to rally with goals from Goldblum, Harkins (2), and Vinall bringing the score to 17-13 with just under 20 minutes remaining.
• With 8:30 left on the clock, Longwood drew even yet again at 18-18, and took its second lead of the game at 19-18 with just over five minutes remaining. But a Goldblum goal off a Vinall assist knotted the score at 19-19 with 3:44 remaining, and Vinall's career-high seventh goal proved to be the game winner with only 1:35 left.

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QUOTABLES
"Today's game was a tough one. With the lead changing a number of times, the team worked hard to get it done in the end. Defensively, our 1v1 was strong with great efforts from Katie Wood, Sarah Boney, Cate Golden, and midfielder Catie Pierce. Emma Curtis ha some key saves in the second half. Emma Vinall fought through physically tough play for her seven goals. We're really impressed with where this team is right now, and can't wait to continue working toward Patriot League play." - Maureen Breslin, interim head coach

"Collectively it was a team win. Every single person played their role today, from the sideline to the field. As coaches that is something we can't teach, and we're so proud that everyone contributed in their own way." - Alix Lopez, assistant coach

"Today's game was a great test for us. It showed us the things we are solid at, and the things that we need to work on. Longwood really gave us an amazing game, credit to them for not ever letting up. Today was a total team win - every person did their job beautifully and didn't stop working until the clock hit zero. We are so proud of every single person on the team today, and we are so proud to be their coaches." - Lindsey Ronbeck, assistant coach

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