NORTON, MA- Springfield College sophomore Jackie
Moscardelli (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) scored the only goal
of overtime, with 1:14 remaining, as the Pride spoiled the Wheaton
College women's lacrosse team's home opener during an 11-10 New
England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest on
Saturday at Keefe Field. The Lyons are now 2-5 overall and 1-1 in
the league, while the Pride improved to 6-2 and 2-0.
Wheaton sophomore Hailey Colburn (Concord,
NH/Concord) recorded three goals and an assist, while
classmate Brittany Whynot (Fountain Hills, AZ/Fountain
Hills) added a hat trick. Sophomore Katie Powers
(Ashburnham, MA/Cushing Academy) scored twice, and junior
Marianna Marcellino (Milton, MA/Thayer Academy)
made 10 saves in a little more than 60 minutes.
Senior Alexandra Bazzano (Newington,
CT/Newington) tallied four times for Springfield, and
junior Meagan Dobson (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow)
recorded two goals and two assists. Moscardelli and senior
Jenn Zubkus (Dover, NH/Saint Thomas Aquinas) added
two goals apiece, while classmate Lauren McAulay (Yorktown,
NY/Yorktown) had seven saves.
The teams combined for a flurry of goals in the first 9:25, as
eight shots found the back of the net, including six by
Springfield. Moscardelli and Zubkus scored 34 seconds apart to make
it 3-1 just 3:37 in, and Powers responded at 24:44 before Zubkus
tallied 16 ticks later to spark a 4-0 run. Bazzano netted the final
two goals in that stretch, producing a 7-2 advantage for the Pride
at the 17:08 mark.
From there, Wheaton held the visitors off the board for 23:49,
rallying to knot the contest after halftime. Colburn, Powers and
Whynot tallied during an 8:46 span before Whynot brought the Lyons
to within 7-6 with 35.9 seconds to go in the opening half.
Sophomore Sydney Ferguson (Jamestown, RI/North
Kingstown) knotted the game at 24:46 of the second before
the Pride took the lead back 1:29 later and held a 9-7 advantage
into the final dozen minutes of regulation. A Colburn free-position
tally at 11:21 was met by a Bazzano eight-meter goal with 10:29
left, but the Lyons scored the next two goals to force overtime.
Colburn made it 10-9 at 8:36 before later dumping a pass in front
of the target to Whynot, who netted the tying marker with 5:11
left.
Wheaton won the ensuing draw and held the ball until the final
minute before turning it over, but the Pride gave possession back
on the restart. However, the Lyons were unable to notch the
go-ahead tally, and Springfield could not get a shot away after a
final rush brought the ball close to the net.
The Lyons won all three draws in overtime, again holding for a
clean look during the first half of the extra period before
Springfield took the ball away and could not fire off a shot in the
waning seconds. However, after a Wheaton possession in the final
three-minute segment, the Pride picked up the loose ball and rushed
the opposing end, with Mascardelli taking a feed deep in Lyon
territory and weaving past a couple of defenders to score. The
hosts were unable to fire off a shot in the closing moments.
The Lyons head back to the road for the next two contests,
beginning on Tuesday at Gordon College with a 6:00 p.m. game.
