Seniors Power Blue Lacrosse to 14-3 Senior Day Victory Over Coast Guard

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Senior Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) scored a game-high six goals and classmate Wendy Nettleton (La Jolla, Calif.) made seven saves to lead Wellesley College lacrosse to a 14-3 New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Saturday at the Wellesley Fields Complex.

Wellesley, who also got a hat trick from senior Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.) and a goal from senior Mary Lemay (Longmeadow, Mass.) on Senior Day, improves to 7-5 overall and 3-2 in the NEWMAC with the victory. Coast Guard is now 3-11 on the year and winless (0-6) in conference games.

Sharkin and Peterson each recorded four ground balls. Sharkin also added five draw controls and a pair of caused turnovers, while Peterson had a game-high seven draw controls. The Blue got two goals and two assists from sophomore Dacia Persky (Las Vegas, Nev.) and a goal and two assists from junior Jenny Gubner (Pleasanton, Calif.). Sophomore Ellie Chalphin (Philadelphia, Pa.) also netted her first of the season in the second half, while classmate Mariana Hernandez (Orlando, Fla.) finished with a game-high three caused turnovers. 

Senior goalkeeper Hannah Delguercio (Edgerton, Wis.) made 15 saves in the contest to lead the Bears. Junior Niki Kirchner-Hope (Plantation, Fla.) scored a pair of goals, with junior Cecelia Hosley (Chester, Conn.) adding the other Coast Guard marker. Sophomore Stephanie Bullard (Dartmouth, Mass.) tied for game-high honors with three caused turnovers and had a team-high four ground balls. Sophomore Leah Llewellyn (Port Deposit, Md.) added three ground balls for the visitors. 

There were only two goals in the opening half, as Kirchner-Hope scored at 25:09 for Coast Guard and Sharkin scored at 9:53 for the Blue to send the game to the break tied at 1-1. Wellesley unleashed 13 goals after the break, scoring seven unanswered to put the game out reach by the 17:14 mark of the second. 

Sharkin scored at 24:04, and later completed her hat trick at 19:07, as Wellesley also got goals from Gubner, Peterson, Persky and Chalpin during the run. Hosley ended the Blue streak with an unassisted goal at 14:27, but Wellesley continued to find the back of the net for the remainder of the second half, scoring six of the final seven goals in the game to earn the 14-3 win. Sharkin doubled her hat trick over the final 13:17 of regulation, while Peterson scored twice and Lemay also added a goal.

Wellesley finished the game with a 34-14 advantage in shots and a 19-11 edge in ground balls, converting on 7-of-13 free position attempts and winning 15 of the 19 draw controls in the game. 

The Blue continue conference play on Wednesday afternoon, April 19, when they travel to Emerson for a 6:00 PM start. Coast Guard will also play Wednesday at Babson at 7:00 PM.