Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn. – After trailing 5-1 at halftime, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's lacrosse team brought the game within two goals on two occasions, however were unable to overcome the early deficit as Eastern Connecticut State University took the Little East Conference contest, 13-8, on Tuesday evening.
Junior Colleen Kane (Ashland, Mass.) fueled the second half surge by beating the goalie three times. Kane scored at least three goals for the seventh time this season and the third time in as many games. Sophomore Jess Miles (Lynnfield, Mass.) matched her season-high with two scores, while freshman Erin Kish (Littleton, Mass.), classmate Julia DePillo (Medway, Mass.) and sophomore Taylor Hill (Braintree, Mass.) each contributed a score in the second half. Senior captain Sarah Kalmes (Billerica, Mass.) reeled in a season-high six ground balls for UMass Dartmouth.
Blanca Jacques, Meg Eremita, and Paige Schneider handled the majority of the scoring for the Warriors. Jacques registered a game-high four goals and distributed a helper, while Eremita and Schneider matched with three-goals in the game. Eremita also generated a trio of assists in the win.
With the Eastern Connecticut (4-9, 2-2 LEC) holding a 5-1 lead to begin the second, both teams traded scores for the first 14 minutes of the half, resulting in 9-4 advantage in favor of the Warriors. In the ensuing seven minutes of play, Kane registered a pair of unassisted goals a mere 23 seconds apart and Miles converted a free-position chance at 8:05 to slice the deficit down to two scores, 9-7. Schneider anchored the Corsairs momentarily in the following minute when she netted a free position shot for her third mark of the match. UMass Dartmouth once again began to sail back into the game when Hill answered at 5:44, bringing the visitors within two, 10-8. In the final minutes of regulation, Eastern Connecticut put three scores on the board to give the home team a lead it would not relinquish.
The Warriors held the advantage in shots (27-22), draw controls (14-9) and were a near perfect, 21-for-22, in clearing opportunities. The Corsairs produced a slim lead in ground balls (33-32) and outshot the hosts in the final stanza of play (17-16).
UMass Dartmouth (1-10, 0-3 LEC) will return to action at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, when the Corsairs host Salve Regina in non-conference action.
