NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team coasted to a 19-4 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over MCLA on Thursday afternoon at Shewcraft Field.
The Bears improve to 8-7 on the season and 4-2 in the MASCAC, while the Trailblazers fall to 1-10 overall and 0-6 in conference play. Bridgewater State is 6-0 versus MCLA since the Trailblazers added women's lacrosse as a varsity sport in 2015.
Thirteen different players found the back of the net for Bridgewater State, while 17 recorded at least one point.
Bridgewater used a 5-0 first-half run capped off by back-to-back tallies by senior attack Katie Swart (Bridgewater, Mass.) to open up an 8-2 lead, and the Bears took an 8-3 advantage into the break. The visitors dominated play in the second half scoring 11 straight goals to pull away for the 19-4 win.
Swart, freshman attack Nina Liquori (Agawam, Mass.), junior midfielder Katie O'Brien (Pembroke, Mass.), freshman midfielder Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.), senior midfielder Delaney Langton (Scituate, R.I.) and senior attack Katherine Tracy (Marion, Mass.) potted two goals apiece for the Bears, while Liquori dished out a pair of assists. Langton and Tracy also added assists.
Graduate defender Kelsi Brennan (Dedham, Mass.), senior midfielder Hayley Carron (Hopedale, Mass.), freshman attack Melanie McClay (Plymouth, Mass.) and freshman defender Sarah Lombard (Ipswich, Mass.), checked in with a goal and an assist apiece for Bridgewater State.
The Bears held a decided edge in shots (44-9) and ground balls (31-13) as well a 19-8 advantage in draw controls. Bridgewater was also a perfect 14-for-14 on clear attempts.
Sophomore defender Katherine Wrona (Belchertown, Mass.) led all players with seven draw controls, while Langton and McIntyre each recorded four draws. Freshman defenders Mya Dupuy (Middleboro, Mass.) and Abbie Fielding (Augusta, Maine) paced the BSU defensive effort with three caused turnovers apiece.
Freshman goalkeeper Brooke La Torra (Oak Park, Calif.) made one save between the pipes for the Bears to pick up her second win of the season. Rookie netminder Lori Lester (Methuen, Mass.) turned aside 18 shots in the setback for MCLA.
Freshma midfielder Julie Graham (Chittenango, N.Y.) and freshman attack Summer Nichols (Bennington, Vt.) contrbuted two goals apiece for the Trailblazers.
Both teams wrap up regular season play on Saturday evening. The Bears entertain Worcester State University at seven o'clock while the Trailblazers host Salem State University at six. Bridgewater will be holding Senior Night festivities prior to the start of the game.