Stickwomen Tame Bruins; Johnson Paces 'Cliffe Win

It took a while in coming, but the Radcliffe lacrosse squad finally followed its usually fine first-half effort with all equally strong second stanza to slide by Brown Saturday, 5-3, on a muddy Providence field.

The 'Cliffe was out to shake a second-half fade that plagued the team in its past two contests, and--according to captain Carlene Rhodes--it viewed the Brown game "as the possible turning point of the season."

Well, turn they did, as Carrie Minot converted a Laura Johnson pass to put the 'Cliffe out in front early. The Bruins, however, came back with experience in the form of 31-year-old, mother-of-four junior Carol Jakes, who scored her first of two goals to tie the game at one all.

Anne Johnson then sandwiched two tallics around another Jakes score to close out the first-half scoring activities.

The laxwomen's second stanza success was due largely to a combination defense, one that uses a woman-to-woman marking around midfield but a zone defense in the goal area.

Coach Molly Quinby was pleased with the overall effort. "We played a good, aggressive game and finally cured our midfield lag with some much improved passing," she said yesterday. "Stephanie Lear turned in her finest performance this year, fending off a barrage of shots late in the game."

Radcliffe emerged from the intermission with the execution of a well-rehearsed Barb-Matson-from-Rhodes play to give the visitors a 4-2 lead.

After a long scoring moratorium Mars Child whipped a wing-to-wing pass from Minot past the Bruin crease-keeper--increasing the lead to a comfortable 5-2 margin. Brown found an opening in the closing minutes to complete the scoring.

The 'Cliffe's J.V. team dropped a close 8-6 contest to the Brown women. Nancy Zweng and Karen Rosenkrantz were outstanding in the losing cause.