SARASOTA, Fla. - Senior Meadow Gilchrist (Stamford, Conn.) netted a team-high five goals as the New England College women's lacrosse team picked up its second win of the season, defeating New College of Florida 19-11 on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pilgrims opened strong, jumping out to a 2-0 lead as senior Mackenzie McDonald (Boscawen, N.H.) dished out assists to senior Gilchrist and junior Alexis Hornsby (Atkinson, N.H.), who scored. After the Banyans' Bella Bradshaw cut into the lead, freshman Camryn Coutts (Gilford, N.H.) responded with her first of the game. Makayla Hardware answered for New College of Florida, but sophomore Riley Davis (Weare, N.H.) netted her first goal of the game, followed by her second goal just two minutes later, while being a man-down. Coutts added another to extend the Pilgrims' lead, followed by Gilchrist, who tallied her second goal late in the quarter. Hardware and Bradshaw each netted their second goals of the game to narrow NEC's advantage, but freshman Sydney Bailey (Boscawen, N.H.) connected with sophomore Lilly Vaughn (Belmont, N.H.), who finished keeping the 'Grims in control. NCF scored in the final minutes of the quarter, but NEC held the 8-5 advantage.
The Banyans kept the pressure on in the second quarter, as Hannah Picott and Hardware scored to cut the Pilgrims' lead to 8-7 with 7:18 to play. Vaughn answered with her second goal to restore a two-goal cushion, but Picott struck again to make it a one-goal game. In the closing seconds, Bailey buried a feed from Coutts, sending NEC into halftime with a 10-8 advantage.
Davis opened the third quarter with a free-position goal to stretch NEC's lead. Junior Carmela Goodwin (Lebanon, N.H.) then scooped up a ground ball and converted on a free-position attempt to extend the lead to 12-8. Coutts later set up Vaughn for another score, and Goodwin added her second of the game to keep the momentum with the Pilgrims. Picott answered with a free-position goal, and Hardware followed to trim the deficit, but the 'Grims kept attacking. Davis capped the quarter with another free-position finish, giving the Pilgrims a 15-10 lead heading into the final quarter.
NCF capitalized on a turnover by the 'Grims as Bayley Dow found Bradshaw, who scored to cut the lead to four goals. The Banyans tested the NEC defense by firing shots that were stopped by freshman goalkeeper Tatum Villa (Framingham, Mass.). The Pilgrims erupted with four goals in the final five minutes of action as Gilchrist tallied three while McDonald added one as the 'Grims cruised to a 19-11 win.
Gilchrist led the offense with five goals along with two ground balls, while Davis added four goals, four ground balls, and three draw controls. McDonald recorded a team-high six draw controls and added one goal, four ground balls, and two assists. Villa picked up her second win in net for the Pilgrims, tallying eight saves.
The Pilgrims continue their Spring Break with a matchup against Warner University (Fla.) on Friday in Lake Wales, Florida with a 6:00 PM start.
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