HENNIKER, N.H. - Powered by career performances from freshman
Maddie Wright and junior
Melanny Sanchez Alvarez, the UMass Dartmouth women's lacrosse team defeated New England College, 20-10 in non-conference action on Tuesday evening. The Corsairs improve to 7-3 overall, while the Pilgrims slip to 6-7.
Wright tied her own program record she set against Wentworth earlier this season with 11 goals. Wright has reached 64 goals for the season, the most goals from a Corsair since Colleen Kane ('16) scored 64 in 2016. Sanchez Alvarez added five goals in addition to six assists in this game, six assists marks the most in a game for her career.
With the contest tied at 3-3 and four minutes left in the first quarter, the pair of Sanchez Alvarez and Wright went on a scoring spree. The tandem traded goals throughout the remainder of the half, and last-minute goals from Wright and junior
Hannah Mitus sent the Corsairs into the break with a comfortable 14-6 lead.
Widline Thomas (junior) joined the scoring 2:18 into the third quarter. She was followed up by her classmate
Natalia Agrelo as UMassD pulled ahead 17-6 going into the final frame. In the fourth quarter, Wright added a couple more scores to her total and she was joined by fellow freshman
Bianca Silveira, who netted her first goal of her collegiate career. The team effort lifted the Corsairs to a 20-10 victory on the road.
Wright, who leads in Division III in points per game and ranks second in goals per contest, finished with 11 goals and one assist for 12 points. Of her 17 shots, 14 were on goals, while adding three ground balls and a caused turnover with a game-best nine draw controls. Sanchez Alvarez posted five goals and a career-best six assists, a ground ball, two caused turnovers and six draw controls, while Thomas finished with one goal, five ground balls, a game-high four caused turnovers and three draws. In goal, senior
Payton Conceicao made six saves to improve to 7-3.
The Pilgrims were paced by junior Nathalie Antigua, who had four goals and six draw controls. NEC freshman Meadow Gilchrist matched Sanchez Alvarez with six assists to go along with her one goal. Junior Carleigh Knotts shouldered the loss in goal, making 11 saves in the contest.
UMass Dartmouth is back in action on Friday when it hosts Southern Maine for a 6pm game against the Huskies on Cressy Field.
