FRANKLIN, Mass. – Senior captains
Melanny Sanchez Alvarez and
Widline Thomas combined for eight goals to help lead UMass Dartmouth past Dean College, 16-6 in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Tuesday evening. The Corsairs – winners of their last four games – improve to 5-2 on the season, while the Bulldogs slip to 1-6 overall.
The Corsairs came out flying in the opening quarter as Sanchez Alvarez scored on the free position at the 11:59 mark. UMass Dartmouth took advantage less than 30 seconds later as rookie midfielder
Lily Nees – the reigning Little East Defensive Player of the Week – scored on the man-up for a 2-0 lead at 11:25.
Rookie attack
Jennifer Lins kept the scoring going, firing a shot in on the free position at 10:48, while Sanchez Alvarez buried a feed from fellow midfielder, Thomas at 8:59 to make it a 4-0 contest. Nees fired in her second of the game with 6:32 remaining, banking home a great pass from Sanchez Alvarez and the Corsairs made it a 6-0 game with 3:51 remaining in the first as Sanchez Alvarez found the back of the net.
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs finally solved sophomore goalie
Kelsie Couto with Caroline Ramsey burying a feed from Natalie Peterson to close the gap to five (6-1). The Corsairs got it back as Thomas had an outstanding individual effort – battling around from behind the net for the 7-1 lead and Nees followed with her third of the contest for a seven-goal margin (8-1) at 12:25.
Dean got one back as Peterson rang the bell at 10:39 and the Bulldogs took advantage on several Corsairs cards at 4:54 as Emma Mock scored on the man-up, followed soon after by a free position tally from Nina Medeiros to close the gap to 8-4 with 4:36 remaining.
UMass Dartmouth rebounded in the final seconds of the contest as rookie midfielder
Maddy Allen sent an unassisted tally in with 19 seconds remaining, while a free position score from Lins, with a second to play, pushed the margin to 10-4 heading into halftime.
Out of the intermission, the Bulldogs took advantage at the 14:15 mark as Peterson buried a free position tally to cut the margin down to five (10-5). The Corsairs rebounded at the 9:18 mark as Allen worked the ball in from the left, finding Sanchez Alvarez toward the right as she fired the ball in for the 11-6 advantage.
Less than a minute later, the Corsairs opened a seven-goal lead yet again as Lins sent a pass from behind the goal to senior attack
Hannah Mitus, who reached up and fired the ball down and in for the seven-goal lead (12-5) at 8:25. Thomas went on to score at 4:25, driving through traffic for a tally inside and a 13-5 margin. Senior attack
Ruby Sanger came around to bank in a shot with 31 seconds left and the Corsairs scored in the final seconds as Thomas buried a feed from Sanchez Alvarez to make it a 15-5 contest heading into the final quarter.
Thomas added her fourth tally in the final quarter of play and the Bulldogs got one back on the free position in the final 1:01 as Peterson scored to conclude the game.
Sanchez Alvarez had four goals and two assists to lead the Corsairs, posting five ground balls and a game-best six caused turnovers and four draw controls. Thomas added four goals, while Nees had three tallies with four ground balls and four caused turnovers. Lins posted two goals and a helper, while Allen had a goal and an assist. Couto earned the win, making three saves for her fifth win of the season.
Dean was paced by three goals and an assist, adding two ground balls. Medeiros posted a goal and an assist, while Ramsey and Mock also scored. In goal, Allie Stockwell shouldered the loss, recording nine stops in the defeat.
The Corsairs return to action on Friday, opening Little East Conference action at 7pm at home against Eastern Connecticut State at 7pm on Cressy Field.
