NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The New England College women's lacrosse team suffered defeat in their first game of the season at Cressy Field on Thursday in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
 
THE BASICS
Score:                    New England College 6, UMass Dartmouth 14
Records:               Pilgrims 0-1, 0-0 GNAC | Corsairs 1-1, 0-0 LEC

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Things started in favor of the 'Grims early on after having a successful clear at 11:29 turn into a goal just nine seconds afterwards credited to senior attacker Nathalie Antigua (North Brunswick, N.J.) taking the early 1-0 lead in the first quarter of action.
• A few minutes later in the quarter sophomore attacker Meadow Gilchrist (Stamford, Conn.) made her presence felt on the defensive end of the field causing a turnover that awarded NEC with a free position shot that resulted in another goal coming from senior midfielder Annalisa Crooks (Nantucket, Mass.) at 9:29.
• Clears for UMD seemed to be an issue for them in the early going as they failed to complete one as another play was disrupted at the hands of Gilchrist once again with the caused turnover scooping up the ground ball and putting the ball into the back of the net for a 'Grims goal just with 13 seconds remaining on the clock making it a 3-0 lead thus far at the end of the first quarter.
• The Corsairs found themselves on the score board as senior midfielder Melanny Sanchez Alvarez (Stamford, Conn.) took matters into her own hands dodging past defenders off the side to find her way into the crease for a goal clocked in at 12:24 into the second quarter.
• After that UMD went on to win the faceoff that earned them possession of the ball getting on the offensive side of the field where they worked the ball around until the Corsairs managed to find the back of the net once more having their senior Sanchez Alvarez score taking the shot at 11:53 inside the crease for another goal.
• Things started to look up for the Corsairs as another win at the faceoff point was in their stick but shortly after endured a foul by NEC that kept possession in their favor but most importantly scoring the game tying goal recorded at 11:08 by freshman attacker Jeniffer Lins (Martinez, Calif) assisted from Tori Roberts (Marlborough, Mass.).
• Down the stretch, two yellow cards were accessed against NEC that gave the Corsairs the man-up opportunity and a turnover taken advantage of pushing the ball down the field that opened things up for Sanchez Alvarez for the goal score passed by senior attacker Hannah Mitus (Belchertown, Mass.) coming in clutch for a goal that gave them the one score lead at 4:50.
• At 3:17 was the mark of another well-placed pass by Mitus finding the cutting senior midfielder Widline Thomas (Stamford, Conn) in the crease to put UMD up by two.
• NEC managed to stop the bleeding after the 5-0 UMD run, forcing a caused turnover from the likes of graduate midfielder Cassie Kelly (Alexandria, Minn.) ending with a UMD failed clear as she darted towards the goal scoring once the ground ball was gathered positioning the team back into the mix with 1:27 remaining with the score, 5-4 still in favor of the Corsairs.
• UMD walked off the field on a high note tacking on another goal before the quarter closed out with 1:00 left from Mitus capturing a two-goal lead.
• Late in the third quarter looked to appear a turnover transpired in favored of NEC down on the UMD side of the field where Antigua secured a GB passing it off to Kelly who dodged from the right side behind the net ultimately scoring at 4:20 still trying to keep the 'Grims in this one dealing with a three-goal deficit still in favor of UMD, 8-5. That was unfortunately a tall task ask on NEC to fulfill as they allowed another five goals to be scored in the quarter with it now scored at 5-11 UMD.
• In the fourth quarter was where the final goal of the day for the 'Grims occurred taking advantage of a free position shot resulting in the ball finding the back of the net scored by freshman midfielder Alexis Hornsby (Atkinson, N.H.).
• The Corsairs buried three more to make their win an assuring one over the 'Grims on the day.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• NEC Kelly was the team leading scorer with two on the day. Crooks, Gilchrist, Antigua, and Hornsby were each credited with one goal each.
• UMD's Sanchez Alvarez had a breakout game as the game leader in scoring with an impressive five goals followed up by freshman midfielder Maddy Allen (Whitman, Mass.) having four, and Thomas acquiring three.
• NEC senior goalie Carleigh Knotts (Dover, Del.) finished the game collecting 15 saves.
• UMD sophomore goalie Kelsie Couto (Assonet, Mass.) ended with six saves.
• Shots concluded to be in favor of UMD over NEC, 43-20.
• NEC's Kelly led the team with seven shots while UMD's Allen had 13.

UP NEXT

• NEC is back on the field on Saturday, March 9^th at 1:00 PM when they are back at Don Melander Field for their home opener against the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University.
• UMD plays their next game from Cressy Field again as they face the Pride of Regis College on Saturday, March 9^th at 12:00 PM.

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