Massachusetts Maritime Academy Edges Women’s Lacrosse, 12-11

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College sophomore attacker Jillian Pirog (Ludlow, Mass.) netted the game-tying goal with 1:54 left to even the score at 11-11, but Massachusetts Maritime Academy's Hillary Doucette (Manchester, Mass.) fired in a marker with 38 ticks on the clock to give the Buccaneers a thrilling 12-11 victory over the Blazers in Thursday evening's non-conference women's lacrosse game at Leary Field.

With the loss, Elms moves to 2-8 overall, while Mass. Maritime improves to 3-4 on the season.

Elms held a 7-4 advantage at halftime thanks to a pair of scores from Pirog, and junior attackers Ashley Cava (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Nora McDonough (South Hadley, Mass.), while junior midfielder Kayla Narey (South Hadley, Mass.) scored a goal.

Mass. Maritime received two scoring strikes from Molly Smith (Westwood, Mass.) and one each from Doucette and Janine Prokscha (Washington, Conn.) to set the halftime score at 7-4.

The Buccaneers came out firing in the second half behind goals from Dahlia Seggelin (Sharon, Mass.) and Doucette to narrow the deficit to one at 7-6. Narey and Prokscha then exchanged scores, followed by a score each from Elms' freshman midfielder Emily Dawson (Somers, Conn.) and Mass. Maritime's Kianna Carpenter (Sagamore Beach, Mass.) to make it 9-8 in favor of the Blazers with 10:11 to play.

Back-to-back tallies by Seggelin and Smith allowed the Buccaneers to post a 10-9 edge before Cava found the nylon to even the game at 10-10 with 2:57 to play in regulation.

Prokscha put Mass. Maritime ahead, 11-10 47 seconds later before Pirog delivered the equalizing goal 16 ticks later to knot the contest at 11-11. Doucette was then awarded a free position shot with 38 seconds left and was able to capitalize, sending the Buccaneers to a hard-fought, 12-11 win.

Melissa Harris (Scituate, Mass.) turned away 10 shots to earn her first win between the pipes for Mass. Maritime, while Elms' sophomore net-minder Sarah Carpenter (Vernon, Conn.) made 11 saves in the losing effort.

Seggelin picked up a game-high six groundballs, while Elms' freshman defender Kathleen Tuechler (Farmingdale, N.Y.) notched five groundballs.

Elms is back in action Tuesday, April 15 when it travels to Bay Path College for a conference tilt beginning at 4:00 p.m.