Box Score FITCHBURG, Mass. -- Junior Sam Muir (Sturbridge, Mass.) scored six goals, including two during a decisive late second half run, to lead UMass Dartmouth to a 13-10 non-league college women's lacrosse victory over Fitchburg State Wednesday evening at Elliot Field.
The visiting Corsairs (3-4) overcame an early 3-0 deficit on the strength of Muir's natural hat trick that came in less than three minutes, as she ignited a five-goal run that included tallies from senior Brooke Martel (Haverhill, Mass.) and freshman Isabella Mancini (Bellingham, Mass.) for a 5-3 cushion with 8:08 remaining in the first half. The host Falcons (1-6) received four first half scores from junior Tracy Long (Georgetown, Mass.) in trailing by one at the break, and Fitchburg State overcame a two-goal deficit early in the second half by scoring four times in a 2:41 span to take a 9-8 advantage on senior Sarah Mallahan's (Dracut, Mass.) marker with 18:37 to play.
Muir sparked a four-goal UMass Dartmouth outburst by evening matters on the ensuing possession, and Mancini gave the Corsairs the lead for good with 11:25 remaining in the match. Tallies by Muir and senior Katie Tighe (Easton, Mass.) in a 72 second span capped the run to give the visitors a three-goal lead (12-9), and after senior Sarah Napolitano (Peabody, Mass.) pulled the hosts back to within two, Mancini iced UMass Dartmouth's triumph with just over three minutes remaining to account for the final margin.
Muir added an assist to finish with a seven-point performance in the win for the Corsairs, who received four goals from Mancini along with a pair of tallies and a helper from Martel. Freshman Hannah Niemi (Fairhaven, Mass.) also collected an assist for UMass Dartmouth, which held a 32-27 edge in total shots (25-24 on goal) for the contest. Long matched Muir with six goals in the setback for Fitchburg State, which received two tallies and an assist from Mallahan along with a marker and two helpers off the stick of freshman Julia Miele (South Hadley, Mass.). Napolitano added an assist to her goal for the Falcons, who also received a helper from senior Amanda Hem (Lowell, Mass.).
Senior Kaitlyn Burchill (Bridgewater, Mass.) picked up her second win of the season with a 14-save effort in net for UMass Dartmouth, while senior Marguerite Belcher (Quincy, Mass.) made 12 stops in the setback for Fitchburg State. The Falcons held a 13-12 edge in draw controls and a 30-20 advantage in ground balls on the evening.
UMass Dartmouth hosts Castleton in a Little East Conference outing on Saturday afternoon at Cressy Field beginning at Noon, while Fitchburg State entertains Massachusetts Maritime in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference clash on Saturday afternoon at Elliot Field that also begins at Noon.
(Photo Credit: Lyrik Gelmete '21)
