WASHINGTON - Senior captains Reagan Murdoch and Kellie Linehan combined for 10 goals on Friday afternoon against George Mason, but it wasn't enough for the American University lacrosse team to erase the Patriots' lead, falling 16-12. Linehan found the back of the net four times while Murdoch put in six goals, reaching 100 in her career. 

Notable

• Linehan added a career-high nine draw controls to her day, giving her a team-leading 19 on the year. Her four goals came on just six shots as well, improving her shooting percentage to .536. 
• Murdoch reached the century mark on her sixth goal of the day, putting away a shot in transition after Izzy Masengarb caused a turnover and found her teammate on the breakout. 
• Caroline McBride and Julia Pope were the two other goal scorers for AU. McBride dished out two assists as well, tallying three points on the afternoon. 
• Adria Kotzian found Linehan for one goal and Murdoch for another, bringing her team-leading assist total up to eight. 
• Sammie Buonaccorsi led the defensive effort, causing three turnovers and picking up a ground ball. Masengarb contributed two caused turnovers, a ground ball, and a draw control. 
• The Eagles outshot the Patriots 33-25 and put 22 shots on goal to their 14. AU also won the turnover battle, only committing eight to Mason's 14. 
• American is now 1-4 on the season. 

How it Happened

• The Eagles had to respond to an attacking barrage from George Mason to start the game, as the Patriots scored five goals on their first eight shots over the opening 10 minutes. 
• Linehan stopped the bleeding, scoring with 3:40 remaining in the first quarter to make it 5-1. After Kate Anders responded with her third goal of the quarter, the score was 6-1 at the end of the frame.
• The team's traded three goals apiece in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 9-4 lead at the half. Trailing 9-2 at one point, the Eagles finished the half on back-to-back goals from Murdoch and McBride.
• AU added two more to start the second half to make it four goals in a row, cutting the Mason lead down to three at 9-6.
• The first goal came when Anastasia Byrnes drew a double team and dished to Pope inside the eight meter, who raced past her defender and beat Regan Bestick to the bottom right corner. The second tally came from Murdoch, finishing just in front of goal after a feed from McBride. 
• American's run was answered by another from Mason, with the Patriots outscoring the Eagles 5-1 for the rest of the third quarter. Linehan provided the next goal for AU, firing a strike to the bottom left corner on the run through the eight meter. 
• The Eagles had their best offensive quarter in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to even the score. Murdoch and Linehan combined for all five of AU's goals, including four in a row to the end the game that changed a 16-8 deficit to 16-12. 

Up Next

• The Eagles will stay at home next Saturday, March 7 to face UMBC. First draw is set for 1 p.m.

Keep up With Us

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