YORK, Pa. – The Stevenson University women's lacrosse team gave 18^th-ranked York College of Pennsylvania all it could handle – and then some – before dropping an 8-7 decision to the Spartans in the 2024 MAC Commonwealth title game on Saturday.
 
Trailing 7-4 just minutes into the third quarter, the Mustangs (12-7) were able to get back within one but could not close the gap any further.
 
Erin Steinberg and Sophia Murray had two goals each, with Ava Treakle, Kara Yarusso and Kellyann Coccia each scoring for the Mustangs. Steinberg and Coccia each had an assist on the afternoon.
 
Yarusso and Murray each had four draw controls, as Murray finished the season with 113 draw controls which set a new single season record for Stevenson. Yarusso finished the season with 94 points, just three shy of the school record. Her 210 career points has her fifth all-time in school history.
 
Melina Primose finished with two caused turnovers and two ground balls on the afternoon.
 
In goal, Anna Johnston made 15 saves to keep the Mustangs in it.
 
A constant wet rain slowed both teams down, as Stevenson took an early 2-1 lead on goals by Murray and Yarusso, the last one coming with 2:23 left in the opening stanza. York scored two straight to take a 3-2 lead, before Murray's second goal of the day tied the score at 3-3 with 10:47 left.
 
The Spartans scored three straight to end the quarter and went up 6-3 at intermission, before the Mustangs got one back at the 13:10 mark when Steinberg scored to make the score 6-4.
 
Trailing 7-4, Coccia scored at the 10:23 mark of the third quarter to get back within two at 7-5, followed by a goal from Steinberg at 8:35 to cut the deficit to 7-6.
 
Down 8-7, Stevenson had one last gasp but Yarusso's shot with ten seconds left was saved.