STANDISH, M.E. – The New England College women's lacrosse team endured their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) against Saint Joseph's College of Maine Monks in Standish, Maine from SJC Athletics Complex.
 
THE BASICS
Score: New England College 5, Saint Joseph's College of Maine 16
Records: Pilgrims 5-5, 3-1 GNAC | Monks 6-3, 4-0 GNAC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Monks in the first 30 seconds of the conference clash was all SJC needed to get on the board. A man up opportunity was bestowed to the 'Grims that they managed to take advantage of as sophomore midfielder Carmela Goodwin (Lebanon, N.H.) knotted the game up but it would unfortunately not stay that way for long. The Monks were in control for the remainder of the quarter scoring four additional goals.
• NEC did not waver and found ways to retaliate to the offensive performance put on by the Monks as they scored the first two goals of the second quarter both being free position goals from Goodwin and junior attacker Meadow Gilchrist (Stamford, Conn.) to bring the deficit to within two to give the 'Grims a fighting chance to get back in the game, 5-3.  At 9:33 SJC would strike back with a goal of their own that NEC would have an answer for 30 seconds later thanks to junior attacker Mackenzie McDonald (Boscawen, N.H.) who scored with junior attacker Kaylee Montgomery (Weare, N.H.) credited with the assist. The two teams would continue to have an answer for each other's offense in the quarter, another Monks goal was scored at 6:01. The 'Grims scored their final goal of the quarter 42 seconds after SJC's as Gilchrist's goal was the recipient of a pass that came from graduate midfielder Annalisa Crooks (Nantucket, Mass.) to bring the deficit back to within two, 7-5. Similar to how the first quarter ended, the monks had the last laugh scoring two goals for a four-goal lead going into halftime, 9-5.
• From there on the 'Grims were unable to come up with any sort of answer for the onslaught put together by the Monks offensively and defensively. NEC's scoring opportunities ceased for the remainder of the game while that wouldn't be the case for the Monks as they scored seven goals to assure their fourth consecutive conference win of the season over NEC on the evening, 16-5.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• NEC senior goalkeeper Isabella Marzano (Warwick, R.I.) did all she could for the 'Grims in between the pipes finishing with 18 saves.
• SJC senior goalkeeper Morgan Wright (Chelmsford, Mass.) had a light day in the office with six saves.
• Shots were in favor of the Monks, 41-20.
• Both NEC Gilchrist and Goodwin led the 'Grims with two goals each respectively.
• SJC junior midfielder Celia Melanson (Waterford, Maine) shined the brightest on the evening collecting six points off two goals and four assists. SJC sophomore midfielder Taylor Dumond and freshman midfielder Ella Highbarger (Kennebunk, Maine) both contributed to the monks win with four goals each.
• NEC was nearly perfect on their clears as they went 17-for-18.
• The 'Grims would scoop up more ground balls over the monks, 23-20.

 
UP NEXT

• NEC is back on the field on Wednesday, April 2^nd at 4:00 PM when they take on the Norwich University Cadets from Don Melander Field.
• SJC will be hosting Colby-Sawyer College in their next game on Wednesday, April 2^nd at 5:00 PM

 
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