CHESTERTOWN, Pa. – Despite a career-best four goals from sophomore Elyse Tierney, the Swarthmore College women's lacrosse team (10-5, 4-4 CC) couldn't hold a first half lead over the Washington College Shorewomen (11-4, 4-4 CC), falling by a 17-14 score on Wednesday night.

Tierney led the Garnet with four goals and five assists, while collecting four ground balls, three draws and one caused turnover in a career performance. Freshman Lizzie Kolln added three goals on three shots, while senior Annalise Penikis and junior Lucy Whitacre each tallied twice. Penikis added two assists and finished with a game-high three caused turnovers.

Swarthmore's 14-goal performance was the most the Shorewomen's defense has given up all season.

Washington College was led by Emily Hubley with six goals on eight shots. Hubley finished 2-for-3 on free position shots and collected five draws. Mollie Shipley tallied four goals and four assists to lead all scorers with eight points. Corinne Ziccardi picked up four assists and two goals in the winning effort.

Between the pipes, Stephanie Seibert made nine stops in 60 minutes for Washington College. Junior Michelle Ammerman and freshman Connie Bowen split time in net for the Garnet, combining for six saves.

The Garnet went up 3-0 in the early minutes of the contest with goals from Tierney, Kolln and Whitacre before the Shorewomen got on board at 21:46.

Tierney and senior Nicole Vanchieri teamed up for two tallies in under a minute for a 7-3 Garnet lead forcing the Washington College to regroup with a timeout.

The break proved effective as Washington College scored three consecutive goals - Corinne Ziccardi and Emily Hubley tallied her second and third of the game for a 7-6 score at 12:01 remaining in the first.

Tierney halted the streak with her third of the game at 10:00 on a run up the middle and finding the five-hole. Penikis secured the subsequent draw and Kolln finished her third of the game off a pass from Sommi for a 9-6 Garnet lead at 9:32.

Washington College scored the final three goals of the half, including a tally from Molly Shipley with 20 seconds remaining to knot the game at 9-9 at the break. After 30 minutes of play, the Shorewomen held a 10-8 draw control edge, while the Garnet outshot 15-13 and scooped up 11 ground balls to Washington College's nine.

The home squad went on to open the second half with four straight goals to take a 13-9 lead with just under 20 minutes remaining – Hubley and Shipley scored three apiece in the seven-goal stretch spanning from 8:55 in the first to the 19:55 mark in the second.

Over the next six minutes, the Garnet outscored the Shorewomen 3-1, bringing the score to 14-12 in favor of the home team. This was the closest Swarthmore ever got in the remaining minutes as Ziccardi added two more and Hubley notched her sixth of the game to set the home score at 17.

Despite scoring the final two goals of the contest – Penikis and Sommi - Swarthmore could not close the gap, falling on the shore by a 17-14 final score.

Swarthmore hosts Haverford on Saturday, April 27 in a must-win season finale. Senior day festivities will precede the contest which is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.