April 16, 2011
Box Score
DENVER - California needed a win at Denver on Saturday to boost its chances of qualifying for the MPSF Tournament, but the Golden Bears fell to the Pioneers, 13-10, at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium in their last regular-season game. Cal (9-7, 3-3 in the MPSF) must wait for results of other games over the next several days to find out if it will qualify for the April 29-May 1 conference tourney or if it ended its season in the Mile High City.
Sophomore midfielder Megan Takacs (3 goals, 2 assists) and tied Denver's Lauren Ciccomascolo (4 goals, 1 assist) for game-high scoring honors with five points
Possession was a key factor in the first half, when Denver (6-10, 4-1 in the MPSF) had at 7-2 edge in draw controls, though Cal had a 10-4 advantage in ground balls. The Pioneers also outshot Cal, 18-7, in the first half, forcing Cal senior goalkeeper Allie Shropshire to make four of her eventual six saves.
Cal came out strong, taking a 4-1 lead in the first 12 minutes. Sophomore attacker Alexa Rozelle scored the game's first goal, off a Takacs assist at the 3:10 mark. Freshman midfielder Amelia Burke (at 3:55), junior midfielder Vail Horn (eight-meter goal at 4:51) and Takacs - Rozelle returned the favor with an assist at 11:15 - scored to give the Bears its 4-1 lead.
But Denver scored the last four goals of the half to take a 5-4 lead into halftime.
The Pioneers scored just 25 seconds into the second half to boost its lead to 6-4.
Cal did a better job in the statistical battles in the second half, outshooting Denver, 18-4, and tying the Pioneers with seven draw controls, though Denver compiled a 5-1 ground-ball advantage.
After Denver took its 6-4 lead, Cal earned the next two draws - junior attacker Tara Arolla grabbed one at 30:31 and Takacs corralled the next at 32:08 - and the Bears converted those possessions into goals. Takacs featured on both, setting up Rozelle at 31:48 and earning a foul for a free-position shot that she converted on at 32:11 to tie the game at 6-6.
The Pioneers decisively broke the tie with five straight goals - the last of those coming at 46:32 - to claim an 11-6 lead.
The Bears scored four of the next five goals -freshman midfielder Hayley Olson scored the second and third goals of her career at 46:53 and 51:48, respectively - to pull themselves within three of Denver at 12-10.
Denver won the ensuing draw and eventually scored three seconds from the final horn to take the 13-10 victory.
