Lemay's Late Goal Lifts Lacrosse Past Endicott, 10-9

BEVERLY, Mass. – Junior Mary Lemay (Longmeadow, Mass.) scored a free position goal with four second remaining in the second half to lift Wellesley College lacrosse to a 10-9 non-conference victory over Endicott College on Wednesday evening at Hempstead Stadium. 

The Blue improve to 2-1 on the year following their first road win of the season. Endicott drops to 0-3 overall.

Endicott scored six unanswered second half goals to rally from a 9-3 deficit before Lemay helped the Blue hold on for the win. Lemay recorded a second half hat trick to finish as one of two Wellesley players with four goals. Classmate Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) also netted four goals, finishing the contest with a game-high eight shots, three ground balls and five draw controls. First years Lena Engbretson (Beaverton, Ore.) and Ellie Chalphin (Philadelphia, Pa.) each added a goal for the Blue. For Chalphin, the goal was the first of her Wellesley career.

Junior midfielder Emily Whitney (Rye, N.H.) had a hat trick and added one assist for the Gulls. Sophomore Jess Glenn (Underhill, Vt.), junior Chelsea Burke (Georgetown, Mass.), and first years Molly McMahon (Hanover, Mass.) and Ali Campbell (Lakeville, Mass.) all recorded one goal and one assist for the Gulls. In all, seven different Endicott players got on the score sheet in the contest.

Engbretson and Sharkin helped the Blue open the contest with a 2-0 lead. Endicott countered with three unanswered goals to take a 3-2 lead when McMahon found Burke at 12:41.

Sharkin responded for Wellesley at 11:17, scoring her second of the half on an unassisted effort to spur a 4-0 Wellesley rally. Lemay and Chalphin each tallied goals as part of the run before Sharkin completed her hat trick with 2:08 left before halftime to give Wellesley a 6-3 lead. 

Wellesley continued to attack the Endicott defense in the opening minutes of the second half, stretching their goal streak to seven unanswered to take 9-3 lead behind two from Lemay and Sharkin's fourth of the day. 

The Gulls got to work following Sharkin's goal, scoring six straight goals of their own to storm back from the 9-3 deficit. Junior Emily Whitney (Rye, N.H.) started the rally at 27:20 of the second when she finished on an assist from Glenn. Whitney would complete her hat trick at 13:59, following goals from Campbell, sophomore Erin McCarthy (Old Lyme, Conn.) and Glenn, before first year Jaime Balboni (Billerica, Mass.) tied the scored at 9-9 with 7:06 left in regulation.

With the scored tied 9-9, an Endicott foul set up Lemay for her late heroics. The Wellesley junior then beat Endicott junior goalkeeper Maura Grady (Marblehead, Mass.) on a free position attempt with four second left to give the Blue the win.

Grady made six saves in the Endicott net. Wellesley junior Wendy Nettleton (La Jolla, Calif.) made ten saves to record her second straight win, as Endicott outshot the Blue 23-19.

Wellesley returns to action on Saturday, March 12, at 12:00 PM at Eastern Conn. St. Endicott will play RPI in their next contest on Monday, March 14 in Clermont, Fla.