Box Score HENNIKER, N.H. – New England College senior attacker Nathalie Antigua (North Brunswick, N.J.) of the NEC women's lacrosse team scored five goals with three assists to lead the Pilgrims to an 18-10 victory over visiting University of Maine Farmington in non-conference action on Tuesday evening at Don Melander Field in Henniker, New Hampshire.

THE BASICS
Score:                    Maine-Farmington 10, New England College 18
Records:               Pilgrims 1-2 | Beavers 2-1

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair as Pilgrims scored the first two goals and the Beavers battled back, with the Pilgrims going into the second quarter with a 4-3 lead. NEC graduate midfielder Cassie Kelly (Alexandria, Minn.) was brilliant in the opening stanza with a goal, two assists, two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• The second quarter was a defensive grind until NEC freshman midfielder Alexis Hornsby (Atkinson, N.H.) found Antigua with 7:58 to go on a give-back pass right in front of the Beaver net and the senior scored her second goal of the season to give the hosts a 5-3 lead.
• Later with the Pilgrims clinging to a 5-4 lead and time winding down in the second, Kelly took a free position and took it in herself, beating the keeper for her fifth goal of the season with 2:30 left. Then with 1:14 remaining, Antigua found sophomore midfielder Mackenzie McDonald (Boscawen, N.H.) for her third goal of the season. The Pilgrims took a 7-4 advantage into halftime. UMF sophomore attacker Ruby McMinis (Wells, Maine) led the Beavers with two first-half goals.
• McMinis scored her third goal of the game just 34 seconds into the third quarter. That would be the first of three straight goals by the Beavers, as they would tie the game up at 7-7 with 12:41 left in the third.
• Just when it seemed that the Pilgrims might fall behind, Antigua took over the game, scoring her third goal of the game before dishing to senior attacker Jacqueline Nee (Manchester, N.H.) for her second goal of the contest. Antigua then scored her fourth goal of the game with 9:13 left to put NEC ahead 10-7, forcing Maine-Farmington to call timeout. The Pilgrims would take a 13-9 lead into the final quarter.
• In the fourth quarter, NEC would pull away as goals by McDonald and Antigua increased the lead to as much as six, the Maine-Farmington never threatened again. A free position goal from Kelly with 1:40 remaining in the game would put the exclamation point on the performance.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• NEC senior goalkeeper Carleigh Knotts (Dover, Del.) finished with four stops for the Pilgrims.
• UMF senior goalkeeper Kate Nowell (York, Maine) produced a strong performance for the Beavers with seven saves on the day.
• Kelly filled the stat-line for the Pilgrims, finishing with four goals, three assists, seven ground balls and six caused turnovers.
• Four 'Grims finished with at least a hat trick for the evening. In addition to Antigua and Kelly, Nee and sophomore attacker Meadow Gilchrist (Stamford, Conn.) each posted three goals.
• Hornsby, who earlier this year earned All-New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) honors after leading the NEC women's ice hockey team in scoring in just her rookie season, finished with one goal, one assists and four caused turnovers for the 'Grims.  
• McMinis led the Beavers with four goals on the day.

UP NEXT

• NEC is back on the field on Friday night when they play host to Gordon College in a 4:00 p.m. game.
• Maine-Farmington plays their next game at Regis College on Thursday at 4:00 p.m.

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.