April 4, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Williamson
(413) 585-2703
Smith Lacrosse Falls to Wellesley 16-9
Northampton, MA: The Smith College lacrosse team lost a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference contest to Wellesley College, 16-9, this afternoon in Northampton, MA. The loss drops the Pioneers to 1-6(0-2) on the season, while Wellesley improves to 6-2(2-0).
In the first half scoring was back and forth between the Pioneers and the Blue. Wellesley managed to get on the board first with an unassisted goal by Meredith Roy '12 (Merrimack, NH) at 28:00. Less than two minutes later Sofia Nakhnikian-Weintraub '12 (Eugene, OR) tied the game up at 1-1 off of a feed from Mary Pasini '12 (Columbus, OH). Wellesley would score the next three goals to take a 4-1 lead with twenty minutes to play in the first. Blair Rapalyea '09 (Prides Crossing, MA) brought the Pioneers within 2 goals at the 18:48 mark. Wellesley and Smith exchanged goals until the Pioneers went on a 3-0 scoring streak to tie the game at 6-6 going into the break. Smith goals came from Meaghan Fileti '12 (Palos Verdes Ests, CA) at 17:51, Phoebe Hopkins '12 (Piladelphia, PA) at 11:38, Sarah Knowles '12 (North Kingston, RI) at 10:20, and Pasini at 8:36.
Wellesley came out strong in the second half taking the 9-6 lead with 25:00 minutes to play in the game. Pasini and Fileti scored two in a row for Smith at 23:46 and 22:12 to bring the Pioneers within one; however, the Blue answered right back with goals coming from Roy and Caitlin Meeker '10 (Columbia, MA) at 21:24 and 20:46. Michelle Walsh's '10 (Northampton, MA) goal at 19:44 would be the last for the Pioneers as Wellesley went on to score the final five goals of the game to take the 16-9 victory.
Mary Mattia '11 (Atlanta, GA) earned the win in net for the Blue with 17 saves on the game. Chelsea Henderson '10 (White Plains, NY) and Liz Niehoff '11 (Bronxville, NY) shared time in goal for the Pioneers this afternoon. Both stopped five shots for Smith.
Smith will be back in action on Thursday, April 9 at 4:30 pm as they travel to take on New England.
