Big Second Half Propels No. 19 West Chester To Win Over Gannon

Box Score

WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Erin Eckert (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) scored four times while Ashley Pyle (Springfield, Pa./Garnet Valley) and Hannah Cowan (Wilmington, Del./Ursuline Academy) each tallied hat tricks as No. 19 West Chester pulled away from visiting Gannon in the second half for a 15-7 PSAC women's lacrosse win Wednesday afternoon at Vonnie Gros Field.
 
West Chester (6-4, 4-3 PSAC) picked up a much-needed conference win over Gannon (5-7, 2-4), who was right behind the Golden Rams in the league standings. West Chester, which led 6-5 at halftime, outscored Gannon by a 9-4 margin in the second half.
 
Pyle finished with a game-best seven points, adding four assists to her three-goal night. Eckert posted a pair of assists for six points. Dina Cifelli (Robinsville, N.J./Notre Dame) registered a six-point night as well with two goals and four assists.
 
Gannon's Leilani King scored her second goal of the game and 32nd on the season to tie things up briefly at the beginning of the second half. However, West Chester went on a 9-1 run, sparked by three of Eckert's four goals, to put the game away with just over two minutes remaining. Eckert upped her team-leading goal total to 25 on the season.
 
Merrilee Viguers (5-3) was credited with 11 saves in the cage to backstop West Chester's win.
 
The Golden Rams return home Saturday afternoon for a 1 p.m. showdown with No. 15 Seton Hill.