Springfield Upends Wellesley Lacrosse

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Wellesley College lacrosse team closed out the 2014 season with a 12-5 loss on the road at Springfield College in NEWMAC action on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field.

Springfield evens its record at 8-8, including a 5-2 mark in league play, and will be the No. 2 seed in the upcoming NEWMAC Championship. The loss sets Wellesley's record to 6-9, 3-4 overall. 

Wellesley junior Meghan Peterson led the Blue offense with a pair of goals, while first-year Mary Lemay posted a goal and an assist in the loss. Junior Claire Canty and first-year Nikki Sharkin accounted for the other Wellesley scores, while Canty and Peterson each grabbed two draw controls. 

Defensively for the Blue, first-year Wendy Nettleton recorded 13 saves in goal for the visitors, as Springfield held a 31-24 advantage in shots for the day. Rounding out the Wellesley box score, Meghan Peterson caused a pair of turnovers, while Peterson, Nettleton, and sophomores Nicole DeCanio and Ellie Mannon all registered two ground balls. 

Springfield's Anne Versprille registered 14 saves between the pipes in her final game on Stagg, while classmate Kelly Gallo paced the offense with three goals and two helpers. Both Emily Rodgers and Connie Nielsen tallied three goals and an assist, while Heather Raniolo was credited with five draw controls, two caused turnovers, two goals, and an assist.

After Wellesley's Meghan Peterson opened up the scoring with a free-position shot and goal at the 27:32 mark, Nielsen buried back-to-back goals to jump start the Pride offense. Nielsen completed her hat trick with 10:06 remaining in the first stanza, allowing for Springfield to carry an 8-3 lead into the half.

Lemay cut the Blue's deficit to four to open the second half, but Springfield's Gallo, Rodgers, and Michelle Dorsey scored to extend the Pride's lead to seven, making 11-4 with 11:27 to play.

Wellesley's Canty netted a shot past Versprille to make it 11-5, still in favor of the hosts with 9:25 to play. Springfield, however, held the Blue without a goal over the final nine minutes, while but Gallo scored on a pass from Paige Campbell to end the game at 12-5.

The Pride will be competing in the NEWMAC tournament this upcoming weekend, hosted at Wheaton College. Meanwhile, Wellesley's 2014 season has come to a close.