WASHINGTON - It was another back-and-forth battle for the American University lacrosse team on Monday, but the Eagles couldn't find the stops they needed late in the game and fell on the road to Lehigh, 11-9.

American is still in contention to make its first Patriot League Tournament since 2013 at 8-8 overall and 3-5 in conference play. The Eagles could secure their spot with a win over Boston University on Friday, or a Bucknell loss to Holy Cross on Friday.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Fifth-year senior Kendall Goldblum paced AU with her ninth hat trick of the season, scoring three goals including the evening's final goal in the final 14 seconds of the game. She also pitched in a team-high two assists for five points.
• Senior Stefanie Walsh was next with two goals, followed by one from fifth-year Emma Vinall, freshmen Becca Frank and Maddy Spratt, and a first-career goal from sophomore Lizzie de Guzman in the fourth quarter to give AU its final lead of the night.
• Senior Haley Harkins led AU's defensive effort, tying her career-highs with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• American led in shots, 26-22, ground balls, 16-13, and caused turnovers, 11-7. The Eagles trailed in the draw circle, though, claiming nine draw controls behind four from Vinall. Lehigh, on the other hand, brought down 15 behind Emma Eberhadt's seven.
• Eberhardt also paced the Mountain Hawks' scoring efforts with four goals and an assist, followed by two goals each from Gabby Schneider, Katia Carnevale, and Cassie Marte.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Mary Alice Collins closed with seven saves while her Lehigh counterpart, sophomore Hayley Hunt, ended the game with 11.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• American hit first with an unassisted goal from Goldblum in the third minute of the first quarter, but by the end of the quarter the game was tied at 2-2 after a pair of unanswered Lehigh goals and one more from Goldblum in the final two minutes of the stanza.
• Lehigh regained a lead early in the second quarter but the defensive battle continued until the final five minutes when Spratt found the back of the net off a pass from Vinall. Walsh added one of her own a minute later, this time with Goldblum feeding in the assist, but Lehigh drew even once again to send the teams into halftime at 4-4.
• Vinall kicked the second half off with a highlight-worthy goal, sending a low shot into the corner of the net off a pass in from de Guzman. Both teams were held scoreless over the next seven minutes until Walsh found the back of the net to give AU its largest lead of the game at 6-4.
• Lehigh split a two-goal run between the third and fourth quarters to tie the game up for the fifth time of the night at 6-6.
• De Guzman had the response, though, sending in a beautiful shot off a pass from Goldblum to give AU it's final lead of the game. 
• Lehigh controlled the next five minutes, hitting a 5-0 run to take the largest lead of the game at 11-7 with just under three minutes left.
• The Eagles continued to battle, though, as Frank and Goldblum hit back-to-back goals in the final minute to narrow the final margin down to two.

NEXT UP
The Eagles will close the regular season on Friday with a 4 p.m. start at Boston University. 

For the latest on American University Lacrosse, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter (@AU_Lacrosse) and Instagram (@au_wlax).