HENNIKER, N.H. – New England College sophomore midfielder Mackenzie McDonald (Boscawen, N.H.) tied a career-high with four goals as the NEC women's lacrosse team won 14-8 over visiting Gordon College in non-conference action on Friday evening at Don Melander Field in Henniker, New Hampshire.

THE BASICS
Score:                    Gordon 8, New England College 14
Records:               Pilgrims 2-2 | Scots 2-5

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pilgrims wasted no time pouncing on the Scots as NEC graduate midfielder Cassie Kelly (Alexandria, Minn.), already the team's leading scorer in their fourth game of the season, took the ball just 55 seconds into the game and came around the net herself to finish for her eighth goal of the year as the hosts went up 1-0.
• The NEC defense was stoic in the opening minutes, as they turned away the first five free-position attempts by Gordon. NEC senior attacker Nathalie Antigua (North Brunswick, N.J.), who starred in the 'Grims' first win of the season on Tuesday against visiting Maine-Farmington, continued to show her playmaking ability against the Scots, finding teammates senior attacker Jacqueline Nee (Manchester, N.H.) and McDonald for back-to-back goals as the Pilgrims went up 3-0 with 6:25 left in the first quarter.
• Gordon closed out the opening stanza with three straight goals, with two of those coming off the stick from junior midfielder Kaitlyn Mini (Malden, Mass.). The teams entered the second quarter tied at three-all.
• The second quarter saw an efficient Scots defense repulse the Pilgrim attack, forcing a series of turnovers and setting up two more goals by Mini. But NEC would finally crack the Gordon defensive scheme in the final minute of the half, as sophomore attacker Meadow Gilchrist (Stamford, Conn.) took a pass from senior midfielder Annalisa Crooks (Nantucket, Mass.) and scored with 39.1 seconds left. Then with 20.5 seconds remaining on the clock, Gilchrist would find Antigua who converted to tie the game up at 5-5. Finally, with 2.2 seconds left, the 'Grims were awarded a free position shot and Antigua would convert for her second goal of the game and her eighth on the season, as the hosts went into the break leading 6-5.
• In the third, Gordon and NEC traded goals early on with the Scots tying it off a goal from sophomore attacker Jocelyn Noyes (Byfield, Mass.) only for the Pilgrims to retake the lead off a free-position shot from Kelly. Antigua's third goal of the game put NEC up 8-6 with 9:48 remaining in the quarter. Then with 6:55 to go, Kelly found McDonald for her second goal of the game as the 'Grims got their lead back up to three. With 5:28 left, Antigua – taking it in herself – made it 10-6 as the hosts started to pull away.  NEC took an 11-8 lead into the final quarter.
• In the fourth quarter, the 'Grims kept the pressure on, scoring three unanswered goals to close out the game and locking down the Scots' attack.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• NEC senior goalkeeper Carleigh Knotts (Dover, Del.) had her best game of the season, tallying 14 saves in net for the Pilgrims or a .636 save percentage. The fourth-year netminder came into the day ranked seventh in the nation in saves per game.
• Gordon junior goalkeeper Kayla Davidson (Dracut, Mass.) finished with eleven stops for the Scots.
• Antigua and McDonald both scored four goals on the evening to lead the Pilgrims.
• Kelly, who entered the day ranked second in the nation in caused turnovers per game at 5.67, recorded seven more takeaways against Gordon, to go along with three goals, an assist and five ground balls.
• Gordon was perfect on their first eleven clear-attempts of the game, only to go 8-of-17 the rest of the way as NEC's defense stiffened.
• It was NEC's first win over Gordon since March 19, 2019, a 14-7 victory.

UP NEXT

• NEC is back on the field on Saturday when they resume their Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) schedule with a 1:00 p.m. game at Dean College against the host Bulldogs.
• Gordon plays their next game at home on Monday when they play host to Hartford University in a 4:00 p.m. matchup.

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