Strong First Half Lifts Bridgewater State University Past Women’s Lacrosse, 13-5
CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College senior goalkeeper Rachel Schrutt (Chicopee, Mass.) made 15 saves, but Bridgewater State University received four goals each from Taylor Clancy (Braintree, Mass.) and Riley Cachelin (Westwood, Mass.) to help spark a 13-5 victory for the Bears in Saturday afternoon's New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) game at Leary Field.
With the loss, Elms concludes its season 0-15 overall, 0-8 in conference play, while Bridgewater State improves to 10-7 on the season, 8-0 in NEWLA play and garners the top seed in the conference tournament.
Clancy scored three of her four goals in the opening 30 minutes to highlight an eight-goal period for Bridgewater State. Clancy also added a pair of assists in the stanza, while Cachelin and Stephanie Lannon (Swampscott, Mass.) found the back of the net twice in the frame.
Elms' sophomore attacker Kayla Narey (South Hadley, Mass.) put the Blazers on the board with 1:34 to play in the first period.
After a Clancy goal with 22:52 to play, Elms' junior attacker Kaitlyn Harrington (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and senior attacker Emily Walsh (Agawam, Mass.) struck for back-to-back goals, both on free position shots to set the score at 9-3. The Bears then answered with three straight scores highlighted by two from Cachelin to post a 12-3 advantage.
Freshman defender Alysha Parsons (Newington, Conn.) scored her first collegiate goal on a free position shot with 7:11 to play, while Narey capped the scoring with a goal at the 4:51 mark to set the score at 13-5 in favor of Bridgewater State.
Parsons picked up five groundballs to lead the Blazers, while Narey and Schrutt added four pickups each.
Michelle Navoni (Mansfield, Mass.) picked up five groundballs for the Bears and caused three turnovers, Kinsley Willis (Canton, Mass.) added a pair of assists in the winning effort. Backup goaltenders Jessica Polaski (Agawam, Mass.) and Katelyn Jeski (Dracut, Mass.) turned away two shots each, while starting net-minder Victoria Moore (Duxbury, Mass.) made a save and recorded the win.
