Pine State News

Maine Maritime Academy defeated Husson University, 22-19, in a hard-fought non-conference women's lacrosse contest at Boucher Field on Saturday afternoon.

The teams played a very competitive and physical game that featured several offensive swings from both programs. The Eagles rallied from a pair of two-goal deficits in the first half and had the momentum in their favor with the game tied late in the second period, but the Mariners' speed and stingy defense proved to be the difference.

The visiting Mariners netted a pair of goals in the first five minutes, as senior Amber Card and senior Olivia Harriman lifted Maine Maritime (4-2) to an early lead. Husson (3-3) scored four of the next five goals in the opening quarter, including senior Sophia Gomez's second women-down goal of the period that gave the Eagles a 4-3 lead with 5:19 remaining in the quarter. A freshman Averi Baker goal at the 2:29 mark offset four MMA tallies as the visitors held a 7-6 advantage heading into the second stanza.

Freshman Laela Martinez opened the second quarter with the Eagles' third women-down goal of the game to cut the MMA lead to one before sophomore Olivia Alejandro tallied her first goal of the season to push the Mariner's lead back to two goals with 11:16 remaining in the first half. The Eagles responded by scoring five unanswered goals that was capped off by senior Devyn Veits when she hit pay dirt with 8:22 left in the second to provide Husson with a 11-8 cushion. Freshman Rebecca Caron and Baker's 21st goal of the season made the game 12-9 Husson before MMA tallied four straight goals to take a 13-12 lead into the intermission.

Maine Maritime came out of the break hot scoring the first three goals before Baker snapped the Eagles' scoring drought with a free position dart at the 6:16 mark as the Mariners lead 16-13. The Mariners rallied off the remaining three goals of the third stanza to take a 19-13 going into the final frame.

In the fourth, Husson scored six of the nine goals that were recorded in the period, including Martinez's fifth goal of the game at the 2:34 mark which happen to be the 41st goal of game breaking the program record for the most combined goals scored in game. The previous record of 40 was set on March 31, 2018 at New England College. After Martinez netted her fifth, Maine Maritime ran out the remaining time on the clock to notch the 22-19 victory.  

The Mariners held the lead in shots (51-32), shots on goal (36-25), draw controls (25-20) and caused turnovers (20-15).

Sophomore Emily Godfrey made a career-high 14 saves with three ground balls while Maine Maritime netminder freshman Ella Bowes turned away six shots in the victory.

Baker scored five goals with an assist, a ground ball, and three draw controls. Martinez added five goals, six ground balls, four caused turnovers, and six draw controls. Sophomore Maddy Benoit tallied three goals and a caused turnover. Gomez netted a pair of women-down goals on three shots, while adding a ground ball. Sophomore Natalie Whitten chipped in with two goals and four assists while picking up three ground balls, a draw control, and a caused turnover. Veits added two ground balls, four draw controls, two caused turnovers, and two goals.

Sophomore Hazel Stoddard scored five goals with an assist, 11 ground balls, four caused turnovers, and 11 draw controls. Card netted four goals with a ground ball and a caused turnover. Harriman tallied three goals, four assists, three ground balls, two caused turnovers and a draw control. Senior Beth Labbe chipped in three goals and two assists with three ground balls, three caused turnovers and four draw control. Sophomore Kirra Magga added three goals, an assist, two ground balls, four caused turnovers and six draw control. Alejandro and Carron scored a goal apiece while Caron added an assist. 

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