Emerson Uses Strong Second Half to Top Blue Lacrosse

BOSTON, Mass. — Emerson College junior Guerin Morissette (Georgetown, Maine) scored a game-high five goals as the host Lions defeated Wellesley College lacrosse, 15-7, on Wednesday evening in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's lacrosse action at Rotch Playground. 

The Lions outscored the Blue 8-2 in the second half to improve to 8-4 overall and 3-3 in NEWMAC play. Wellesley, who now also sits at 3-3 in conference play, drops to 6-4 on the season. 

Junior Chesley Hooker (Cypress, Texas) scored a team-high three goals on three shots to lead the Blue. Senior Claire Canty (East Rockaway, N.Y.) added a pair of goals and an assist to finish with three points. Canty also grabbed four ground balls, five draw controls and a game-high three caused turnovers. 

Morissette opened the scoring at 22:51 in a back and forth first half that saw the Lions get out to a 7-5 lead by the break. Canty countered less than a minute after Morissette's opening goal to knot the game at one-all at 22:12. 

Emerson scored the next pair of goals, as Morissette potted another before junior Tayllar Righini (Salem, N.H.) scored the first of her three goals at 20:52. 

Hooker used a feed from first year Talia Tandler (Cherry Hills Village, Colo.) to pull Wellesley back to within one, at 3-2, with 17:56 left in the opening stanza. However, Emerson scored the next three goals, capped by a free position goal from junior Kate Lemire (Scituate, Mass.) at 11:02, to jump out to a 6-2 advantage.  

The Blue responded by scoring back-to-back goals for the first time in the game, as Hooker and Sharkin scored at 9:53 and 5:30, both on free position shots, to draw the Blue back to within two.  

An Emerson strike from Tayllar Righini at 3:28 extended the Emerson lead once more before Hoker scored the final goal of the half at 2:42 to send the sides into the break with Emerson leading 7-5.

The Lions started the second half with five consecutive goals, opening up their biggest lead of the game at 12-5 with 18:28 remaining. Sophomore Meredith Weber (West Cladwell, N.J.) scored a natural hat-trick as part of the run, while Lemire added her second and freshman Tara Windsor (Palm City, Fla.) scored her only goal of the game. 

Canty broke the run with a free position goal at 13:22 and sophomore Mary Lemay (Longmeadow, Mass.) netted her third of the season at 10:52 but the Blue were unable to string together enough goals to mount a rally, as Emerson held on for the 15-7 victory. 

Emerson finished with a 24-16 advantage in ground balls while also outshooting the Blue 23-20 in the contest.

Wellesley will continue its NEWMAC schedule on Saturday with a 12:00 PM match-up at Mount Holyoke. Emerson will also be in action on Saturday when they travel to MIT for a NEWMAC contest at 1:00 PM.