SAN JUAN, P.R. – Junior Brooke Paradis (Pelham, Mass.) scored five goals with seven draw controls to lead the Wentworth women's lacrosse team to a season-opening victory against Chatham University, 15-10, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Leopards staged a gritty comeback in the first half, and erased an 0-5 deficit with a 5-1 run, with goals from Paradis (2), freshman Sarah Galen (Colchester, Conn.), and sophomore Emily Rogers (Pembroke, Mass.) (2). Wentworth held Chatham to six goals until the halftime buzzer, scoring four of their own, all unanswered from Paradis (2), Galan, and junior Shannon Sturtz (Littleton, Mass.)
Sophomore Lily Kuhns (Gloucester, Mass.) backstopped the Leopards with nine saves in the second half, as Wentworth never surrendered the lead despite the Cougars pulling within two goals, 11-9, with 19:50 left in regulation. The Cougars scored the final three of five goals, but the momentum wasn't enough as the Leopards set themselves apart with nine goals in the first half.
Two Leopards joined Paradis with multi-goal games, as Rogers followed with four goals, five ground balls, and five caused turnovers. Galan rounded out the top scoring for WIT with two goals in her first collegiate appearance, while Jorgie Pashalian (Cranston, R.I.), Marissa Nelson (Cranston, R.I.), Julie Dam (Milford, Mass.), and Sturtz all scored once for the Black & Gold.
Kuhns starts her sophomore campaign in net at 1-0 with 12 saves on 22 shots faced.
The Leopards will play one more game in sunny San Juan on Friday vs Saint Joseph's Maine.
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