Bradford, PA - Women's lacrosse saw its season come to a close in heartbreaking fashion Tuesday night, falling 8-7 to the Pitt-Bradford Panthers in a tightly contested AMCC Semifinal at Rathburn Field.

In a game defined by momentum swings and high-intensity play, the Mounties went toe-to-toe with Pitt-Bradford from the opening draw. Cassidy Cook (Glen Burnie, Md., North County) opened the scoring midway through the first quarter off a feed from Shelby Smeal (Altoona, Pa., Altoona), setting the tone early before Pitt-Bradford answered to even the score at 1-1 after one.

The Mounties seized control in the second quarter with an impressive offensive surge. Cook netted her second goal of the night on a free-position opportunity, sparking a 3-0 run. Freshman duo Chelsea Stout (Grand Blanc, Mich., Grand Blanc) and Alannah McNichol (Bellefonte, Pa, Bellefonte) followed with back-to-back goals, the latter coming off a Cook assist, as Mount built a 4-1 advantage. Pitt-Bradford added a late tally before halftime, but the Mounties carried a 4-2 lead into the break.

Coming out of halftime, the back-and-forth battle intensified. The Panthers scored twice in quick succession to tie the game, but the Mounties responded once again. Stout found the back of the net for her second goal, and Smeal added another to push the lead back to 6-4 heading into the final quarter.

The fourth quarter proved decisive, as Pitt-Bradford mounted a late comeback. The Panthers scored three straight goals to take their first lead since the opening quarter at 7-6. Brenna Dobson (Lewistown, Pa., Mifflin County) answered for the Mounties with a clutch goal off an assist from Stout to even the score at 7-7, but Pitt-Bradford capitalized on a free-position opportunity with under seven minutes remaining to regain the lead at 8-7.

Despite multiple late efforts and a flurry of action in the closing minutes, the Mounties were unable to find the equalizer as time expired.

Cook and Stout led the Mounties offensively with two goals apiece, while McNichol, Smeal, and Dobson each added a goal in the balanced attack. The Mounties showcased resilience throughout, responding to every Pitt-Bradford run until the final minutes.

On the other side, Pitt-Bradford was led by Samantha Burke's three goals, including two in the fourth quarter, as the Panthers secured the program's first-ever trip to the AMCC Championship in their inaugural season.

With the loss, the Mounties end their season with a record of 4-8-1.

#GoMounties