Rhode Island College Drives Past Women’s Lacrosse, 18-3

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Carpenter (Vernon, Conn.) turned away eight shots but Rhode Island College used six goals from Jessica Ricci (Hope, R.I.) and four goals from Jessalyn O'Neill (North Providence, R.I.) to help lift the Anchorwomen to an 18-3 victory over the Blazers in Sunday afternoon's non-conference women's lacrosse game at Leary Field.

With the loss, Elms moves to 1-4 on the season, while Rhode Island improves to 2-1 overall.

Rhode Island struck for 12 goals in the first half behind five goals from Ricci and two each from O'Neill and Danielle Landon (Wading River, N.Y.) to highlight the Anchorwomen's offensive surge.

Elms netted its lone goal of the first 30 minutes when sophomore attacker Jillian Pirog (Ludlow, Mass.) found the back of the net with 19:52 to play to set the score at 4-1. Rhode Island answered with eight straight scores to post a 12-1 cushion at intermission.

The Anchorwomen added to their lead with five consecutive markers including two from O'Neill, and one each from Ricci, Ashley Appel (Foxboro, Mass.) and Harmony Tillison (Cranston, R.I.) to set the score at 17-1 with 9:59 to play.

Blazers' junior attacker Lauren Mazza (Agawam, Mass.) fired in a goal with 5:10 to play, and following a Rhode Island score by Betsy Heidel (Warwick, R.I.), Elms' freshman defender Kathleen Tuechler (Farmingdale, N.Y.) netted a goal on a great feed from sophomore attacker Ashley Cava (Wilbraham, Mass.) with 30 seconds left to set the final score to 18-3.

Ashley Alardi (North Providence, R.I.) led the Anchorwomen with five groundballs, while Sophie Kanno (Cranston, R.I.) and O'Neill added four each. Landon notched five draw controls and four assists, while Ricci added two helpers in the win.

Goalkeeper Taryn Carbone (Cranston, R.I.) made 12 saves including 10 in the first half to help seal the victory.

Tuechler and senior midfield Brianna Lyons (Canton, Mass.) registered six groundballs each while junior midfielder Kayla Narey (South Hadley, Mass.) picked up five and sophomore defender Melissa Welch (Westfield, Mass.) picked up four.

Narey added four draw controls, while freshman net-minder Sabrina Pereira (South Windsor, Conn.) made two saves in second half action between the pipes for the Blazers.

Elms returns to action on Thursday, March 27 when it hosts Fitchburg State University at 6:00 p.m. at Leary Field.