PITTSBURGH, Pa. – April 2, 2021 – In a thrilling, frosty home match, the Chatham women's lacrosse team held off a feisty Westminster Titan squad 14-13 in the conference opener. Chatham's record improves to 3-1 with the win.
 
It was not the fast start that Chatham has been accustomed to, with the first couple of Cougar shots getting saved by Westminster, and the Titans countering with the icebreaking goal. Chatham and Westminster then traded blows until the Cougars mounted a 6-3 lead that wound expand to 8-4 by the intermission.
 
The second half was more offensive, with the Titans outscoring the Cougars 9-6. However, the Cougars built up three leads of five goals each before the Titans sliced to within three. Most of Westminster's goals came in the final 10 minutes of play, where it scored the final four goals. After a key draw control was won by graduate Rachel Belles, Chatham ran out the clock and secured the win.
 
Chatham narrowly won in shots 43-39 despite getting outshot on goal 31-30. Chatham also lost the turnover battle 18-16 despite causing 13 Titan turnovers. The key turned out to be ground balls, in which the Cougars held a 43-26 edge. It marked the most ground balls Chatham scooped up in a game since the program began in 2018.
 
Graduate Bria Braddock scored five goals with two assists to lead the way for the Cougars. First-year Stephanie Walter had three first half goals while junior Brielle Rapsas had a pair of her own. Also scoring goals were junior Rachel Borucki, sophomore Phallon Kilduff and graduates Anna Prendergast and Rachel Belles. Borucki and Kilduff had an assist each.
 
Chatham begins the first of a three-game road stand on Tuesday, April 6 at Thiel. Match begins at 7 p.m.