Women's Lacrosse Pulls Away for 16-6 MASCAC Win Over Mass. Maritime

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team rolled to a 16-6 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Tuesday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium.

The Bears improve to 6-7 on the season and 2-2 in the MASCAC, while the Buccaneers fall to 9-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Bridgewater State is now 10-0 all-time versus Mass. Maritime as the two teams first met back in 2012.

Freshman midfielder Nina Liquori (Agawam, Mass.) and junior midfielder Katie O'Brien (Pembroke, Mass.) each netted a hat trick for the Bears, while senior attack Lindsay Brown (East Longmeadow, Mass.) notched two goals and two assists. Freshman attack Melanie McClay (Plymouth, Mass.), sophomore attack Savannah Herrington (Kinnelon, N.J.) and freshman midfielder Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.) checked in with two goals apiece for the visitors, and senior midfielder Delaney Langton (Scituate, R.I.) added a goal and a pair of assists.

Senior attack Nora McLaughlin (Quincy, Mass.) paced Mass. Maritime with three goals and a helper. The Buccaneers also received two goals from senior midfielder Alyssa DiScipio (Braintree, Mass.) as well as a goal and a pair of assists from freshman midfielder Lindsy Durgin (Rochester, Mass.).

Bridgewater State led 5-1 after a strong first period as O'Brien and Herrington each potted a pair of goals in the opening session. Goals by Durgin and DiScipio sandwiched around a McClay strike pulled the visitors to within 6-3 with ten minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Bears then kept the Buccaneers off the scoreboard for over 29 minute and reeled off eight straight goals over that stretch to take control of the game. Brown tallied two goals and two assists during the run while McIntyre and Liquori also scored twice. McIntyre's goal with 13:25 remaining in the fourth quarter capped off the eight-goal outburst and gave the Bears a 14-3 lead.

Bridgewater held a 29-19 shot advantage for the game as well as an 18-9 edge in draw controls. The Bears successfully converted 16 of 24 clear attempts while the Bucs went 17-for-25 on the clear. Ground balls were 30-25 in favor of Mass. Maritime.

BSU sophomore defender Katherine Wrona (Belchertown, Mass.) led all players with five draw controls while Liquori and freshman midfielder Hannah Bowlby (Dalton, Mass.) corralled four draws apiece. Graduate defender Kelsi Brennan (Dedham, Mass.) led the Bears' defensive effort with four ground balls and a game-best three caused turnovers.

Durgin collected a game-high six ground balls for Maritime, while DiScipio notched five ground balls and a team-best four draw controls.

Sophomore goalkeeper Laura Giovaniello (Walpole, Mass.) made seven saves to record her first collegiate win between the pipes for the Bears. Senior netminder Laura Kleber (Westport, Mass.) also turned aside seven shots in the setback for the Buccaneers.

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Saturday afternoon at one. The Bears travel to MCLA to take on the Trailblazers, while the Buccaneers head to Salem State University to face the Vikings.