Blue Lacrosse Dominates New England College, 14-5

HENNIKER, N.H. - Eight different players scored on Saturday for Wellesley College lacrosse, who earned a 14-5 win over New England College at Don Melander Field.

First year Finley Tipton (Coppell, Texas) stood out with five goals in addition to seven ground balls for the Blue (2-1). Classmate Chloe Guntrip (Irvine, Calif.) won six draw controls to lead Wellesley. First year Anna Blake Patrick (Portland, Ore.) saved five shots for the Blue while senior goalie Hannah Pangborn (Raleigh, N.C.) and sophomore Cianna Salvatora (Pittsburgh, Pa.) combined to stop four.

First year Mackenzie McDonald (Boscawen, N.H.) and junior Nathalie Antigua (North Brunswick, N.J.) both recorded a pair of goals for the Pilgrims (1-3) while junior goalie Caleigh Knotts (Dover, Del.) stopped a season-high 20 shots. Senior Cassie Kelly (Alexandria, Minn.) snatched up a career-high 12 ground balls for the Pilgrims.

Wellesley scored just twenty seconds into the game when Tipton buried a shot from a few feet away. Around the eight-minute mark the Blue doubled their lead when sophomore Mattie Knowles (Newburyport, Mass.) fired in a first career goal. 

Guntrip also scored a first collegiate goal last in the first to give the Blue a 3-0 lead.  Late in the first the Pilgrims got on the board off of a free position shot from McDonald.

Tipton scored again for the Blue early in the second. Classmate Phoebe Calero (Havre de Grace, Md.) scored an inaugural goal from a free position shot before Wellesley sophomore Ryan Boone (Scotch Plains, N.J.) made it 6-1 off an assist from first year Allie Beighle (Missoula, Mont.). 

Tipton finished a hat trick before the end of the half while Antigua scored off a pass from Kelly for NEC to make it 7-2 Wellesley at halftime. 

Wellesley peppered NEC with 23 shots in the first half and Knotts stopped 13 shots for NEC through two quarters.

Tipton and McDonald traded goals for both teams in the third. Late in the period junior Gabrielle Shell (Upper Arlington, Ohio) scored for Wellesley with first year Camille Francis (Bowie, Md.) earning a first collegiate assist. Tipton scored a fifth goal with only second left in the third to put the Blue up 10-3.

Senior Liz Sugg (Palermo, Maine) knocked in a goal for the Blue to get the fourth rolling. Junior Jacqueline Nee (Manchester, N.H.) and Antigua (assisted by Kelly) got two back for NEC to make the score 11-5 before Francis and Calero (assisted by Boone) buried home a pair of shots for Wellesley to regain momentum. One last goal from Shell, assisted by Sugg, sealed the 14-5 win for the Blue. 

Wellesley controlled the offense, taking 40 shots to NEC's 18, while the Blue racked up 14 free position shots. The Blue's defense was also strong, causing 12 turnovers with Wellesley scooping up 43 ground balls on the game.

The Blue return home next Wednesday to host Salve Regina at 5:00 PM while the Pilgrims go on the road Monday for a 4:00 PM game at Southern Maine.