GAMBIER, Ohio – Following a first half in which just three goals were scored, the Kenyon College and University of Mount Union women's lacrosse teams each went on wild second-half runs that ended with the visiting Purple Raiders hanging on for a 9-8 non-conference triumph.

Kenyon was first to score. About seven minutes into the game, Sarah Griswold took an assist from Cassie Hudson-Heck and put the host Ladies up 1-0. Over the last seven minutes of the first half, Mount Union scored twice and made it to halftime with a slim 2-1 lead.

Throughout those first 30 minutes of play, Kenyon managed 10 shots, but just four on goal. Mount Union fired seven shots with five on goal. Both teams turned the ball over 11 times. Mount Union failed clearing attempts five times in 13 attempts. Kenyon failed twice in 11 attempts.

Things changed dramatically in the second half, beginning with a Kenyon 7-0 run that covered a 15-minute span. After the Purple Raiders netted the first goal of the second half, Kenyon's outburst started with an Avery Morgan goal at 28:56 and ended with a Hudson-Heck goal that put the Ladies ahead 8-3 with 13:34 left in the game.

During the run, Morgan scored twice, as did Hudson-Heck. Julia Mahoney, however, was the catalyst. She rang up two goals and two assists, putting Kenyon in a great position to upset Mount Union, a team that defeated the Ladies 18-6 last season and went to the NCAA Tournament before finishing with a 17-1 record.

The Purple Raiders had other ideas. Led by Danielle Rohrman, Mount Union (3-1) produced its own run to overcome the Ladies. Rohrman scored at 13:09 to ignite her team. Ashley Bernardi scored three of the team's next five goals and Rohrman assisted on the final four, including the game-winner, which Bernardi scored with 1:24 left.

Kenyon won the final draw and created three opportunities to tie the game. The first opportunity was a shot by Maggie Grabowski that sailed wide. On the second try, Mount Union goalkeeper Mimi Curtis saved a shot from Morgan. Finally, with 20 seconds left, Morgan had a free-position shot turned aside by Curtis, who finished the game with 10 saves.

At the other end of the field, Kenyon goalkeeper Carina Barnes made eight saves.

It was the second straight one-goal loss for the Ladies (1-2). They'll try to turn things around Saturday, when their next game, against Baldwin Wallace University, gets underway at noon.