Women's Lacrosse Holds Off Mass Maritime

Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College women's lacrosse team registered their first victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in three seasons, collecting a 17-14 non-conference victory over the Buccaneers at Leary Field Thursday night. The Blazers improve to 5-7 on the season, while Massachusetts Maritime drops to 4-5 overall.

The squads exchanged goals over the opening minutes with tallies from Buccaneers juniors Ashley Solari (Sandwich, Mass.) and Dahlia Seggelin (Sharon, Mass.) sandwiching strikes from Elms seniors Ashley Cava (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Jillian Pirog (Ludlow, Mass.). Mass Maritime used goals from freshman Erica Overstreet (Bridgewater, Mass.) and Solari to build a 4-3 lead, but the Blazers evened it at 4-4 as Cava found the back of the net at the 18:34 mark. After Overstreet struck for the Bucs, Elms responded with three straight goals to regain a 7-5 advantage.

Leading 7-6, freshman Vanessa Vurno (Salem, Conn.) and Pirog delivered back-to-back strikes to extend the Blazers lead to 9-6. The Buccaneers rallied back behind a free position goal from Solari, followed by back-to-back goals from junior Christina Murphy (Forestdale, Mass.) to knot the score at 9-9. Elms closed the half with tallies from Pirog and Vurno in the final minute to take an 11-9 lead into halftime.

The Blazers made it a three-goal gap, 12-9, as Cava scored at the 27:32 mark of the second half. Leading 12-10, Vurno and sophomore Jackie Soucia (Belchertown, Mass.) found the back of the net, but a goal from Solari kept the Buccaneers close, 14-11. After Elms sophomore Haley Roberts (Westfield, Mass.) and Solari exchanged strike, Soucia put the game away with goals at 12:08 and 5:35 to pad the lead to 17-12, en route to the 17-14 victory.

The Buccaneers edged the Blazers in the shot column, 35-32, during the contest. Mass Maritime own the draw control advantage, 19-13, while Elms controlled ground balls, 15-8.

Vurno set a career-high with nine points on four goals and five assists. Soucia netted a tied game-high five goals, while Pirog netted four goals. Cava and Roberts added two goals apiece in the win. Sophomore Alissa Porfilio (Agawam, Mass.) was huge for the Blazers in her first collegiate start in goal, making a season-high 16 saves in the circle.

Solari paced the Buccaneers attack with eight points on a tied game-high five goals with three assists. Overstreet recorded a hat trick, while Murphy and sophomore Stephanie Hunt (Brookfield, Conn.) chipped in two goal each. Sophomore goalkeeper Mikayla Correia (Dartmouth, Mass.) stopped eight shots in the loss.

The Blazers will look to remain in the win column with a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) road trip to Becker College Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. tilt. The Buccaneers hosts Westfield State in MASCAC conference action Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

ELMS LACROSSE