BIDDEFORD, Maine – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's lacrosse team kicked off Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play Tuesday, April 5, falling 14-8 to the University of New England.

 
RECORDS 

• Wentworth: 2-4 (0-1 CCC)
• Univ. of New England: 2-9 (1-3 CCC)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Goals Leader: Olivia Murray (3)
• Assist Leader: Helen Hamblett (2)
• Draw Control Leader: Sarah Galan (6) 
• Caused Turnovers Leader: Allie Lauersen (2) 
• Ground Balls Leader: Sarah Galan (4)
• Saves: Lily Kuhns (2)

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Nor'easters took the lead early, scoring just 36 second in on a goal by Anna Stowell (Sutton, N.H.), who scored three times on the night. After a pair of Leopard shots were unsuccessful, Wentworth found the back of the net with 4:09 gone by to tie the game at one. Senior midfielder Jorgie Pashalian (Cranston, R.I.) picked up the goal on a free-position attempt, scoring her third goal of the year. After a pair of defensive stops for each team, the Leopards found themselves shorthanded following a yellow card. UNE took advantage, scoring with 20 seconds left in the advantage to take a 2-1 lead with 9:16 remaining. Wentworth won the ensuing draw control and put a shot on net, but were turned aside. The home team came right back following the Wentworth attempt and scored their second goal in 42 seconds to go up by two, as Stowell scored her second of the night. The visitors pulled within a goal with three minutes left in the opening period, as senior midfielder Emily Rogers (Pembroke, Mass.) scored her eighth of the season off an assist by junior midfielder Helen Hamblett (East Boothbay, Maine) to make it a 3-2 game. But UNE answered once again, scoring 44 seconds after the Leopards had narrowed their deficit to extend the lead back to two heading into the second quarter.
• Wentworth started strong in the second, winning the draw control and scoring just 29 seconds in on a goal by sophomore attack Olivia Murray (Quincy, Mass), with senior midfielder Sarah Galan (Colchester, Conn.) providing the assist. But again, the Nor'easters answered almost instantly. Just over a minute after the Leopards' goal, UNE put one in the back of the net to again take back a two-goal lead. A shot attempt by Wentworth was denied by Nor'easter goalkeeper Madison Bruzzese (Reading, Mass.), and shortly after the Nor'easters extended their lead to three goals with 5:30 gone by. UNE came out strong following the goal and looked to add to their lead, but a pair of shots by the home team were off the mark. A yellow card on the Nor'easters gave the Leopards a chance on to cut into the lead, but UNE was able to kill it off. But shortly after the penalty expired, Hamblett picked up her fifth of the season to make it a two-goal game. She had a free position attempt moments later with a chance to cut the UNE lead to one, but Bruzzese made the save to keep it at a 6-4 game going into the half.
• Another free position chance for Wentworth was turned aside by Bruzzese in the opening minute of the third, but the Leopards were able to put a goal on the board minutes later as Hamblett scored her second goal with 2:07 gone by. As they had earlier in the game, the Nor'easters scored just following a Leopards goal, scoring a minute after the Wentworth goal to make it a 7-5 lead. Just past the five-minute mark of the third, a shot off the stick of Murray rang off the post, keeping it a two-goal game. After three more shots by the Leopards didn't connect, Galan brought it back to a one-goal deficit with her team-leading 31^st goal of the season with five minutes left in the period. The Leopards won the draw control and moments later, Murray converted a free-position opportunity to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:25 to go. With just under three minutes left, UNE took the lead back, making it an 8-7 game going into the fourth.
• The Nor'easters took control early in the final period, scoring twice in 1:18 to extend their lead to 10-7. UNE outscored the Leopards 6-1 over the final 15 minutes, with Morgan White (Rochester, N.H.) scoring two of her three goals in the final quarter. Murray got Wentworth on the board with a minute to go in the game, but the Nor'easters took a 14-8 victory on the night as the Leopards dropped their first conference game of the year.

NOTES

• Wentworth took 26 shots to UNE's 20, and each team picked up 21 ground balls.
• The Leopards were 10-of-16 on clears, while the Nor'easters went 16-for-23.

THE SERIES

• This is the eighth time the teams have met. UNE now holds an 8-0 lead in the series all-time.

NEXT 

• The Leopards are back at home Thursday, April 7, for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against conference opponent Nichols College.

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