May 2, 2002

MORAGA, Calif. - Senior midfielder Dominique Cook (Morrison, Colo. / Colorado Academy) scored a game-high five goals, including the game-winner with 2 minutes, 28 seconds left, to lead the University of Denver women's lacrosse team to a 12-11 win over St. Mary's (Calif.) in non-conference action Thursday afternoon. With the win, the Pioneers (6-9) post their most wins in the four years since moving to Division I.

Sophomore Patience Baldwin (Baltimore, Md. / Vermont Academy) added four goals to bring her team-leading total to 34, and senior Sarah Hazard (Owings Mills, Md. / Maryvale Prep) made five saves for Denver, which has won back-to-back games for the second time this season.

Saint Mary's (7-9) scored five unanswered goals to take an 11-10 lead before Denver scored the final two goals to take the win. The Gaels opened the scoring early when Carrie Moore scored just 4:38 into the game. Cook answered on a free position shot three minutes later to even the score at 1-1. Alli Back tallied her 21st goal of the season on a free position to regain the Gael lead.

Colette Spencer tallied her team-leading 39th goal at the 10:52 mark to give SMC a 3-1 lead. Denver answered when Baldwin scored on a free position. Spencer notched another score when Liz Roberts hit her with a pass as she was streaking to the basket at the 15:46 mark of the first half. Three straight goals by Denver first-year player Melissa Holecheck (Hurlock, Md. / Sts. Peter & Paul HS), junior Mariana Spry (Nashua, N.H. / Nashua HS) and Baldwin gave the Pioneers a 5-4 lead at the 22:23.

The Gaels evened the score with less than five minutes remaining in the half when Christy Davidge scored on a free position shot. Cook's second goal of the half with 1:35 remaining sparked the Pioneers to three late goals and an 8-5 lead at the intermission.

Megan Bryan closed the Denver lead to 8-6 when scored on a free position shot 1:45 into play in the second half. Baldwin scored her fourth goal of the game on a free position shot five minutes later and Cook's fourth goal, which was assisted by Spry, her third of the game, gave Denver a 10-6 advantage with just under 20 minutes remaining in the game.

Saint Mary's answered with five straight goals to take an 11-10 lead with 5:32 remaining.

The go-ahead goal for SMC came from Luce at the 54:28 mark off a pass from Carrie Moore. Denver matched the score when Holecheck scored on a free position at the 55:38 mark. Denver regained the lead for good when Cook scored the game winning goal, and her fifth goal of the game, on a free shot with 2:28 left to play.

"The momentum swung back and forth throughout the game, and it was close," said head coach Abby Burbank. "Beth Cordova had a very good game. She locked up on Bryan and only let her get two goals. Courtnay Gerl and Mariana Spry did great on the draw controls. It was a great game heading into the tournament."

The Pioneers open play in the inaugural Mountain Pacific Lacrosse League Championships this Saturday in Berkeley, Calif. The No. 3 seed Pioneers will face the second-seeded and host Cal Bears at noon MST. The third-place and title games will take place on Sunday; Denver will play either No. 1 Stanford or No. 4 St. Mary's.

DENVER WOMEN'S LACROSSE
at Moraga, Calif. (Saint Mary's Stadium)
DENVER 12, Saint Mary's 11

                  1  2  -  FDENVER (6-9)        8  4  -  12Saint Mary's (7-9)  5  6  -  11

Goals: DEN - Cook 5, Baldwin 4, Holecheck 2, Spry; SMC - Spencer 4, Bryan 2, Back 2, Moore 1, Davidge 1, Luce.
Assists: DEN - Spry 3, Gerl; SMC - Eimers , Roberts , Moore , Bryan , Luce.
Goalkeeping: DEN - Hazard (60 mins., 11 GA, 5 Svs.); SMC - Ceccotti (60 mins., 12 GA, 13 Svs.).
Shots: DEN 35, SMC 18.