BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — Senior attacker Jessica Chamberlin (Bow, N.H.) (eight) and junior attacker Georgia Qua (Suffield, Conn.) (six) combined to score 14 goals to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's lacrosse team to an 18-9 victory over host Bridgewater State University this afternoon in the season opener for both squads at Mazzaferro Field in Bridgewater, Mass.
The Lyons improve to 1-0 on the season, while the Bears fall to 0-1.
Wheaton's goal output was its highest in a season-opener since a 23-13 win at Johnson & Wales University (R.I.) on February 26, 2020.
The Lyons outshot Bridgewater State, 30-21, and owned a 17-12 margin in draw controls. Wheaton also scored six times in 11 free position opportunities.
Chamberlin's goal total is the seventh-highest in a game in school history. She scored on all but two of her 10 shot attempts and also added an assist and a ground ball for the Lyons. Qua also assisted on a goal to go with a pair of ground balls and a caused turnover. Sophomore midfielder Claudia Shoemaker (Woodstock, Vt.) scored a goal in addition to an assist and a pair of caused turnovers, while first year midfielder Lucy Knof (Cologne, Germany) recorded a goal, an assist and a draw control in her collegiate debut. Senior defender Katie Hallee (Norway, Maine) came up with seven draw controls and senior goalie Katie Geis (Duxbury, Mass.) stopped seven shots.
Sophomore midfielder Sophia Fleurent (Fairhaven, Mass.) led the Bears with two goals, an assist, four ground balls, seven draw controls and three caused turnovers. Sophomore attacker Lizzy Deacon (Amesbury, Mass.) netted a pair of goals as well and added a ground ball. First year midfielder Kate Fitzpatrick (Methuen, Mass.) chipped in with a goal, an assist, two ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers for the home team. Sophomore starting keeper Sara Skaff (Lowell, Mass.) stopped three of 14 shots in the first 30 minutes of play, before yielding to junior netminder Gianna Scarpelli (Medford, Mass.), who turned away five of 12 shots in the final two quarters of play.
Wheaton opened the game with a dominant 10-1 run, including the first six goals of the afternoon. Chamberlin set the tone with five markers during the stretch. Bridgewater State netted three straight goals with scores in a span of 2:06 from Deacon, senior midfielder Meredith Sylvia (South Dartmouth, Mass.) and Fleurent, to cut the deficit to 10-4 with 10:19 to play in the second quarter. Chamberlin and senior attacker Ashley Silva (Rowley, Mass.) traded goals before the end of the half to send the Lyons into the break with an 11-5 advantage.
Wheaton scored four of the first five goals of the third quarter, including three markers from Qua, to inflate its cushion to 15-6 with 2:34 to play in the period. Sophomore midfielder Taylor Carter (East Walpole, Mass.) tallied the final score of the quarter for the Bears to make it 15-7 with one period left to play.
Senior attacker Katie Lamothe (Dartmouth, Mass.) netted the first goal of the fourth quarter to pull Bridgewater State within 15-8 at the 9:46 mark, but the Lyons closed out the game with three of the final four scores, including goals from Qua, senior attacker Natalie Bilodeau (Scarborough, Maine) and Chamberlin.
Wheaton returns to action on Saturday, February 28 when it travels to North Dartmouth, Mass. to play University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at 12:00 p.m., while the Bears host Salve Regina University on February 21 at 1:00 p.m.
