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Syracuse University
Notre Dame
Zimmer Sets Single-Season Goals Mark in BIG EAST Finale
5/1/2004 6:08:58 PM | Women's Lacrosse
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Senior Tewaaraton Trophy Candidate Leigh-Ann Zimmer recorded five goals for the 14th-ranked Orangewomen (9-5, 4-2) in SU's 13-11 loss at No. 13 Notre Dame (11-4, 4-2) on Saturday, May 1. Zimmer now has 47 goals this season, surpassing Lauren Brady’s previous standard of 44 goals in one campaign.
Zimmer also added two assists in the contest for a total of seven points, matching her career high. She tallied seven points on two other occassions (against Virginia and Rutgers) in 2004. The performance tied her for the third-most goals by an Orangewoman in one game and marked the seventh time in her career she has racked up at five tallies in a match.
The Orangewomen and Fighting Irish eached finished the BIG EAST portions of their schedules with 4-2 league marks, but Notre Dame claimed second-place in the conference standings by virtue of its head-to-head triumph against the Orange.
Syracuse took an early 3-2 advantage in the contest on an unassisted tally by senior Danielle Lillis at the 8:35 mark, but the Irish defense stymied the Orangewomen for the remainder of the first half and closed the period with seven straight goals to take a 9-3 margin into the locker room. Preseason All-BIG EAST selection Meredith Simon did most the damage for Notre Dame, recording six points (three goals, three assists) in the opening half.
The Fighting Irish increased their margin to seven, 10-3, on Crysti Foote’s second tally of the contest at 31:35. Zimmer stopped the run with an unassisted goal at 33:13 and Lillis found the back of the cage 4:17 later to cut Notre Dame’s lead to five, 10-5. After another goal by Simon, the Orangewomen rattled off the game’s next four tallies to make the score 11-9 with 14:45 left to play. Another goal by Foote extended the Irish’s edge to 12-9, but Syracuse netted back-to-back goals to get within one, 12-11, at 54:12. Notre Dame’s Lauren Fischer answered 13 seconds later to increase its margin to two goals. Notre Dame then went into a stall and was able to run out the clock.
Lillis finished with a hat trick and sophomore Melody Agnew contributed two goals for the Orange. Notre Dame’s defense held junior Monica Joines without a point in the match, snapping her 14-game point-scoring streak which dated back to 2003. Sophomore goalie Jennifer Kasel made 12 saves versus the Irish, her tenth double-digit saves performance of the campaign.
Simon notched a game-high eight points (four goals, four assists) for Notre Dame. Fischer contributed four points (three goals, one assist) and Foote added a hat trick for the Irish.
Saturday’s game was moved from Notre Dame’s Moose Krause Stadium due to inclement weather. Instead the match was contested indoors at the Loftus Sports Center.
Syracuse will close out the 2004 regular-season at No. 3 Loyola on Saturday, May 8 at 3:00 p.m.
