Blue Lacrosse Picks Up NEWMAC Win Over Emerson, 10-6

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Junior Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) scored four goals to help Wellesley College lacrosse secure a 10-6 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over visiting Emerson College on Wednesday afternoon. 

The Blue currently occupy the sixth spot in the NEWMAC standings after improving to 8-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play. Emerson, currently tied for fourth in the conference standings, moves to 9-5 overall and 4-2 in the NEWMAC. The top six teams advance to the NEWMAC postseason at the end of the regular season.

Sharkin scored two goals in each half to increase her team-high total to 38 on the year. Junior classmate Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.) finished with three points on two goals and an assist. Junior Mary Lemay (Longmeadow, Mass.), sophomore Jenny Gubner (Pleasanton, Calif.), and first years Lena Engbretson (Beaverton, Ore.) and Dacia Persky (Las Vegas, Nev.) also scored for the Blue, with Lemay recording a pair of assists to finish with three points. In goal, first year Chloe Tucker (San Ramon, Calif.) made eight saves to record her second victory of the year (2-0).

Emerson junior Meredith Weber (West Caldwell, N.J.) scored a hat trick to run her team-leading total to 39 on the season. Weber had an outstanding all-around game for the visitors, recording five ground balls, five draw controls and six caused turnovers. The Lions also got goals from senior Guerin Morissette (Georgetown, Maine), sophomore Tara Windsor (Palm City, Fla.) and first year Emily Quinn (Dartmouth, Mass.). Morissette chipped in with a pair of helpers to finish the contest with three points. Sophomore Kristina Modica (East Moriches, N.Y.) and senior Victoria Kanaris (Haworth, N.J.) split time in goal, making a combined five saves.

A four-goal run to open the game turned out to be all the difference for the Blue. Persky scored less than two minutes in on a free position shot before each team settled in for over 15 minutes of scoreless play. Wellesley eventually broke the drought, scoring at 11:03, when Lemay found Gubner in front of the cage, and again at 8:29 and 7:49 when back-to-back goals from Sharkin put the Blue up 4-0.

Quinn scored the first Emerson goal at 2:31, before Weber beat the clock at the end of the half to make the score 4-2 following the opening 30 minutes.

The sides exchanged tallies to open the second stanza. Peterson and Weber scored less than a minute apart, at 25:56 and 25:22, before Sharkin and Weber exchanged goals at 19:18 and 18:06 to make the score 6-4. The Blue were able to put the game out of reach with a three goal surge following Weber's hat trick goal, as Lemay and Peterson scored before Sharkin capped the run with her fourth of the evening at 7:46.

Emerson would draw back to within four, at 9-5, when Morissette scored on an assist from Kate Lemire (Scituate, Mass.) at 3:50, but the Blue would again counter with a strike, this time off the stick of Engbretson, at 1:44. Windsor then helped the Lions beat the buzzer for the second time in the game before the Blue took the 10-6 win.

Wellesley outshot Emerson 21-20 in the game, scoring three goals while up a player. The Lions held a 10-6 edge in draw controls, while the Blue had a slight edge in ground balls, 23-22.

Wellesley will host NEWMAC rival Mount Holyoke for Senior Day this Saturday, April 23, at 1:00 PM. Emerson will play host to MIT in a NEWMAC game on Sunday, April 24, at 1:00 PM.