Fundamental mistakes have plagued Upper Perkiomen's lacrosse team during its three-game losing streak, according to head coach Susan Flack. 

            "Right now, we're not doing the little things well enough," Flack said.

            For example, two crucial turnovers with approximately six minutes remaining Saturday morning cost the Indians in a 12-9 loss to Governor

Mifflin in a non-league game.

            According to senior defender Liz Pierson, the team – which played without Mackenzie Gebhardt, a high-scoring senior midfielder – needs to get back to the basics.

            Late in the first half, Governor Mifflin scored three goals to snap a 3-3 tie. In the second half, Upper Perkiomen rallied by winning a majority of the draws. Midway through the half, Courtney Bauer's goal staked her team to a 7-7 tie. 

            The team rallied for a 9-9 tie on a goal by Liz Fox with 8:14 remaining. 

            The Indians forced the action for the ensuing two minutes following Fox's goal. However, two errant passes on the offensive end of the field eliminated any additional scoring opportunities. The visiting Mustangs scored the final three goals to secure their victory.

            Hope Flack scored a team-high six goals for Upper Perkiomen. Grace Lehman finished with a goal and an assist, while Erika Boyer contributed two assists and Alyse Thompson posted five saves.

             "We made some youthful mistakes throughout the game," the coach said.

            Flack called the Mustangs comparable their conference opponents. "We wanted a good game," she said. "And we certainly got it."

            Two days earlier, the team absorbed a 15-13 road loss to Methacton in the Pioneer Athletic Conference. Gebhardt scored a game-high six goals, while Hope Flack added two goals and an assist. Fox scored twice, and Boyer delivered one goal and three assists. AiYi Young registered nine saves.

            According to Flack, Pierson has emerged as an excellent defender who knows how to force an attacking forward to the outside.

            "She did a great job last year and this year," the coach said of Pierson, one of three team-captains. "She's a very confident leader."

            The senior, who missed parts of her freshman and sophomore seasons with leg injuries, says she finally feels healthy. Pierson suffered a torn ACL in her right knee as a freshman, then played in just five games a sophomore before hurting her left knee.

            As a junior, Pierson played the entire season but said she couldn't stop thinking about her ailments. She was concerned about continuing her lacrosse career in college.

            "At times, I felt stressed about the situation," she said. "I did not play my best all time."

            According to Flack, Pierson never showed any signs that the injuries were an issue.

"Liz just kept pushing through," the coach said.

            Pierson eventually received several lacrosse offers from Arcadia, Weidner, DeSales University and several state universities in New York system. However, she decided to row for the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla.

            "When I stepped on that campus, I felt like I was home," Pierson said. "It's like a going to school on a resort."