CMS Women's Lacrosse Sees SCIAC Win Streak Snapped at 37

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's lacrosse team led 6-3 late in the first half, but suffered through a prolonged scoring drought as it suffered its first defeat to a SCIAC team since 2016, falling 11-9 at Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday night.

With the loss, CMS now stands at 1-1 on the young season and 1-1 in the SCIAC, after winning its last 37 games against league foes. The Athenas have gone 10-0 in each of the last three SCIAC regular seasons and captured the last three tournaments as well, and opened this season up with a road win at Chapman for its 37th straight win over a SCIAC team. Pomona-Pitzer improves to 4-0 on the year with the win, all in league games. 

A free position shot from sophomore Alex Futterman had the Athenas in good shape up 6-3 with 4:47 left in the half, but it would be almost 30 minutes until CMS would find the back of the net again. Pomona-Pitzer closed out the half on three goals from Eleanor Mackey in a span of 3:12 to tie the score before intermission, and then carried that momentum into the second half, stretching the run to 7-0 and taking a 10-6 lead in the closing minutes. 

CMS had one final comeback effort, as junior attack Sally Abel scored on a feed from senior midfielder Allie Hill with 5:44 remaining, and after winning the ensuing draw control, Hill scored 34 seconds later to close the gap to 10-8. CMS had the ball with a chance to cut the lead even closer, including two free position attempts, but Pomona-Pitzer was able to dodge the bullet and picked up an insurance goal with 2:07 left to make it an 11-8 game.

Abel finished off a hat trick on another assist from Abel in the final minute, but CMS didn't have enough time to close the gap any further as the horn blew with Pomona-Pitzer on top 11-9. 

CMS scored four straight goals in the first half to take a 5-2 lead. Hill started the run off a feed from Futterman with 16:23 left, and sophomore Sammie Cohen scored on a free position shot to make it 3-2 CMS with 11:15 left in the half. Just 18 seconds later, first-year Katelyn Sparks scored to push the lead to 4-2 and Cohen netted her second to give CMS its largest lead at 5-2 with 8:35 left in the half. 

Abel led CMS with four caused tunovers, while sophomore defender Alex Wilson had a team high four ground balls. Maggie Sweeney led all scorers with four goals for Pomona-Pitzer. 

CMS will be back in action on Saturday for its home opener, taking on Occidental for a 1 p.m. contest at Zinda Field.