BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Radford's furious rally fell just short as the Highlanders fell Appalachian State, 3-2, in their home opener Friday evening at RU Hockey Field. It also marked the NorPac opener for both squads.

The Mountaineers (1-6, 1-0 NorPac) took a 3-1 lead early in the second half and held off a relentless Highlander barrage that went down to the final second on Radford's sixth corner and 17th shot of the period. However, ASU keeper Bridgette Street made her 10th and final save to secure the one-goal win.

After Kelly Allaband tallied her second goal of the match in the 41st minute, Radford (4-5, 0-1) went on the offensive and it took a penalty stroke by senior Lynsey Daughtrey (Suffolk, Va./Lakeland) to make it a one-goal affair with just under 10 minutes to play.

Radford would attempt four more shots, but three were blocked and Street saved one with zeros on the clock.

The Highlanders out shot the Mountaineers, 25-14, and held a slim 9-8 advantage in corners.

Highlander keeper Sidney Encarnacion (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) stopped nine shots, eight in the first half. Each team recorded a defensive save.
 
Senior Courtney Poole (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) banged home a rebound during a corner to give Radford the early, 1-0 lead.

The Mountaineers did not waste any time tying the match just 1:29 later when Allaband put home a rebound off a defensive save during a corner.

Both teams had several opportunities, but it wasn't until the 31st minute when Brooklyn Shearer poked home a short feed from Dana Wetmore to put Appalachian State ahead, 2-1 going into halftime.

On an early Mountaineer corner in the second half, Allaband lofted a shot from the left high over the keeper for a 3-1 advantage 5:11 into the period.

Radford returns to the road on Tuesday for another NorPac contest at Longwood. Match is set for 7 p.m.