Women's Lacrosse Posts 17-6 Win over Mount Holyoke

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior attack Victoria McDonough (Marshfield, Mass.) tallied four goals and four assists to lead the Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team to a 17-6 victory over Mount Holyoke College on Saturday afternoon at Swenson Field.

The Bears improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Lyons fall to 2-1. Bridgewater State has won each of the last five meetings of the two teams and six of the last seven. The Bears also hold a 15-11 advantage in the all-time series.

McDonough also recorded a game-high 11 draw controls and six ground balls to go along with a pair of caused turnovers.

Senor attack Hayley White (Dracut, Mass.), junior midfielder Emily Hiller (Marion, Mass.) and sophomore attack Katherine Tracy (Marion, Mass.) each recorded hat tricks for the Bears with Hiller also dishing out an assist.

Sophomore attack Megan Belmonte (Dartmouth, Mass.) added a goal and an assist for hosts, while junior midfielder Kelsi Brennan (Dedham, Mass.), sophomore midfielder Lindsay Brown (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and freshman midfielder Katie O'Brien (Pembroke, Mass.) also found the back of the net. Belmonte and O'Brien netted their first collegiate goals.

The two teams exchanged scoring strikes out of the gate as the game was knotted at 2-2 eight minutes into the first half. The Bears then dominated the rest of the period as they reeled off five straight markers and outscored the Lyons 11-1 over the final 22 minutes to take a 13-3 lead into the break. McDonough and White potted three goals apiece during the game-changing 11-1 run while Hiller and Tracy each scored twice and Brennan filled the net.

Bridgewater would maintain at least a ten-goal advantage throughout the second half. The Bears got up by as many as 12 (16-4) in the stanza following back-to-back strikes from Brown and Belmonte.

Senior Hayley Barner (Westwood, Mass.) and freshman Olivia Kerrigan (Braintree, Mass.) combined to make seven saves between the pipes for Bridgewater State with Barner picking up her 27th career victory.

The Bears finished with a 33-17 shot advantage as well as an 18-7 edge in draw controls.

Sophomore attack Caroline Flynn (Williamstown, Mass,.) registered three goals and an assist to pace Mount Holyoke, while classmate Allie Brown (Burlington, Vt.) checked in with a pair of goals. Senior netminder Mia Wysocki (Longmeadow, Mass.) turned aside eight shots in 30 minutes of action in the setback for the Lyons. Freshman Erin Foley (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) made three saves in relief of Wysocki.

In upcoming action, the Bears travel to the University of New England next Friday afternoon for a four o'clock game with the Nor'easters. The Lyons entertain Westfield State University on Wednesday evening at five.