St. Mary's City, Md. – Junior attacker Emily Shafer (Hollywood, Md./Leonardtown) netted the eventual game-winning goal with 3:29 left in regulation to lift the St. Mary's College of Maryland women's lacrosse team to a 10-9 non-conference victory over the visiting Washington College Shorewomen in the Seahawks' home-opener Wednesday afternoon.

Shafer gave the Seahawks (2-3) a two-goal cushion with her unassisted tally following a Washington turnover.  The Shorewomen's sophomore midfielder Carly Eisenbrandt (Baltimore, Md./Towson) made it a one-goal game with under a minute remaining as Eisenbrandt completed a feed from junior midfielder Mollie Shipley (Denville, N.J./Morris Catholic).

Washington (1-1) won the ensuing draw control at 00:53 and the Shorewomen were able to fire off two shots.  Senior attacker Kalli Parrish's (Timonium, Md./McDonogh School) shot at 00:28 sailed above the goal.  The Shorewomen retained possession allowing junior attacker Corrine Ziccardi (Baltimore, Md./Loch Raven) to take her team's final shot with eight seconds on the clock which senior goalkeeper Colleen Simpson (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) solidly denied with one of her nine second-half saves.

Shafer finished as St. Mary's scoring leader with two goals and an assist while senior attackers Melissa Mayer (Crofton, Md./South River) and Lauren Bennett (Frederick, Md./Gov. Thomas Johnson) and first-year defender Paige Decker (Clarksville, Md./River Hill) each scored twice.  Junior midfielder Lauriann Parker (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) dished out two helpers in the win.

Washington claimed an early 2-0 lead at 27:02 before the Seahawks responded with a pair of Mayer goals to knot it at 2-all at 15:36.  The Shorewomen outscored the hosts 3-1 to stake a 5-3 advantage at 6:08 before Decker and Shafer found the back of the net for the third tied score of the game, 5-5, at 4:33.  The visitors headed into halftime with a 6-5 margin after Ziccardi converted on a free position shot at 3:39.

St. Mary's rattled off three unanswered goals to start off the second half and post its first lead of the contest, 8-6 at 22:44.  The Shorewomen responded with two goals for tie the game for the fifth time, 8-8, at 16:08 before senior attacker Kimmy Routson (Lutherville, Md./Towson) put the Seahawks ahead 9-8 at 12:45.

Simpson finished with 12 stops for her fifth consecutive double-digit save effort while adding a team-best four ground balls.  Washington outshot the Seahawks, 30-21, while earning a 22-13 advantage in ground balls but St. Mary's notched an 11-9 edge in draw controls.

The Seahawks will be back in action on Saturday, March 10 when St. Mary's welcomes Haverford College (1-2) to Seahawk Stadium for non-conference action at 3:30 pm.