Box Score KEENE, N.H. – Powered by a strong opening half, Keene State posted a Little East victory over UMass Dartmouth in women's lacrosse action on Wednesday evening. The Owls move to 10-5 and 4-2 in conference play with the 19-8 victory, while the Corsairs slip to 9-6 with a 2-4 LEC record.
The homestanding Owls opened the game's scoring in the first quarter, building up a 3-0 lead in the opening six minutes behind goals from junior attack Chase Gengras and a pair of tallies by fifth year midfielder Haile Ratajack.
At the 8:03 mark, the Owls saw junior attack Lola Smith drive home a feed from classmate and fellow attack Hayden Smith to push the margin to 4-0. Ratajack netted her third of the game less than a minute later to make it a five-goal game.
Fifth year midfielder Mindy St. Marie made it a 6-0 score with 3:39 to go in the opening quarter and Ratajack dropped in her fourth of the contest at 2:26 to push it to a seven-goal differential. The Corsairs had several solid chances late in the frame, but shots from senior midfielder and captain
Melanny Sanchez Alvarez, along with rookie middie
Lily Nees went just wide of the Owls net.
In the second quarter, it was Sanchez Alvarez to get the Corsairs on the board, scoring her 61st tally of the season off a pass from rookie midfielder
Maddie Beaumont at the 13:43 mark of the frame. The Owls countered three minutes later as St. Marie fired in her second of the game, but the Corsairs responded as rookie midfielder
Maddy Allen fired in her 50th goal of the season to make it an 8-2 game.
Despite that momentum, the Corsairs could not hold off Ratajack, who won the ensuing draw control and carried it in quickly for her fifth tally of the contest and the 9-2 advantage at 9:49. The Owls then saw sophomore midfielder Annaliese Rudberg score her first of the game to open an eight-goal lead.
With 2:38 to play, Sanchez Alvarez created the Corsairs third goal, causing a turnover down low on Owls goalie Mabelle Bessette, scooping up the ball and firing it in for her second of the game. Rudberg answered with a goal and the Owls scored again in the final five seconds to head to the locker room with a 12-3 advantage.
In the third quarter, the Owls added to their advantage as Lola Smith opened a 10-goal differential at 13:43. Ratajack dropped in her sixth of the game at the 12:33 mark for the 14-3 lead. Trailing 15-3 with 8:26 on the clock, Allen fired in her 51st of the year to make it a 15-4 deficit for the Corsairs.
The fourth quarter saw Allen score back-to-back free position goals, while senior midfielder and captain
Widline Thomas tallied with 11:55 to play to cut the Owls lead to 17-6. Minutes later Nees fired in a goal to make it a 17-7 margin and Sanchez Alvarez scored at 6:44 to lessen the margin to 17-8, but the home team scored two more goals to close out the scoring.
For the Owls, Ratajack netted seven goals with two assists, while Gengras added four tallies. Dworkin dropped in four assists as Lola Smith posted two goals and four helpers, while Hailey Smith had a goal with three assists. In goal, Bessette earned the win, recording four saves, while sophomore Kara Moriarty came on in relief and made a save.
The Corsairs saw Sanchez Alvarez and Allen each tally three goals as Sanchez Alvarez added a game-high five ground balls, six draw controls and four caused turnovers. Thomas added a goal and an assist, while Couto recorded five saves.
UMass Dartmouth returns to action on Friday, closing out the regular season at home against Plymouth State University at 6pm on Cressy Field. The Corsairs will honor their seven seniors in a pre-game ceremony.
