PROVIDENCE, R.I. -Â Sophomore
Melanny Sanchez Alvarez led the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth lacrosse team to a 13-7 Little East Conference (LEC) victory Thursday night at Rhode Island College.
The Corsairs (2-11, 1-3 LEC) were shutout in the first 30 minutes, but halftime adjustments by Head Coach
Meghan Griffin, who secured her first LEC win, sparked the team to an eight-goal third, and five more in the fourth. The Anchorwomen (1-7, 0-4 LEC) are still in search of their first conference win of the year.
Junior goalkeeper
Payton Conceicao, who leads the conference in saves per game, finished with 13 saves. Seniors
Sara Orton and
Kylie Dias each notched two goals, while sophomores
Hannah Mitus and
Erin Donovan both chipped in one goal.
After Rhode Island College took a 4-0 advantage into halftime, UMass Dartmouth flipped the script and controlled the pace in the second half. Donovan netted her goal between a pair of scores by Sanchez Alvarez, and Orton found the back of the net with 7:27 on the clock to quickly even the game at four-goals apiece.
The Corsairs kept it going as Sanchez Alvarez netted two more, while Orton and Dias each sent home goals to make it an 8-5 lead after three.
Sanchez Alvarez and Mitus each scored as the Corsairs and Anchorwomen traded goals to make it 10-7 with 9:10 to go in the fourth. UMass Dartmouth's defense stepped up and put an end to the RIC threat, and Sanchez Alvarez scored twice more, while Dias finished it off with a free position goal with 1:13 to go.
Sanchez Alvarez finished with two assists, while Orton and sophomore
Widline Thomas each had one helper.
UMass Dartmouth hosts Eastern Connecticut on Saturday for a 1 p.m. start time.
