Futterman Tallies Seven Goals as CMS Women's Lacrosse Holds Off Chapman 14-11

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Alex Futterman matched her career high with seven goals as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's lacrosse team fought off a tough challenge from Chapman to take a 14-11 win on Wednesday evening at Zinda Field.

The win all but assures CMS of earning a top two finish in the SCIAC standings and the right to host a SCIAC Semifinal game. Chapman (8-4, 4-4 SCIAC) came in one game behind, but the Athenas (8-4, 6-2 SCIAC) now hold a two-game lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker due to a season sweep. 

CMS didn't create separation until the fourth quarter, after leading 10-9 through three. In fact, neither team had more than a one-goal lead until Emme McMullen scored with 3:43 left in the third to give CMS a 10-8 advantage, before the Panthers closed to within 10-9 heading into the fourth. 

Catherine Murphy started off the fourth quarter with a free position goal 29 seconds in, but the Panthers answered again to make it 11-10 with 12:45 to on on a free position goal from Emily Allen. CMS, though, put together a key 3-0 run to take some of the drama out of the closing minutes, starting with free position goals from Rachel Leonardi and Taylor Daetz 36 seconds apart, and ending with the seventh goal from Futterman, a transition strike off a feed from Tessa Guerra with 5:11 to go. 

Chapman got one back with 2:17 to play on a free position goal from Jessica Ricketts to pull within 14-11, but Kendall Chapko stopped a free position shot in the final minute, one of her four second-half saves, to deny the Panthers a chance at a late comeback. 

The Panthers led 3-2 after the first, and Futterman went into takeover mode in the second quarter, scoring four times, three of which were unassisted. Chapman kept answering, though, and after Emma Merk gave CMS a 7-6 lead with 35 seconds left in the quarter, Anna Klose scored for the Panthers with one second left to make it a 7-7 tie at the half. 

Futterman also had six draw controls to lead CMS, while Aly Gallagher had three ground balls, and Leonardi and McKenna Likins each had three caused turnovers. 

CMS will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts Occidental for a 1 p.m. contest.