Mannon, Peterson Lead Blue Lacrosse to 17-5 Win at Coast Guard

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Senior Ellie Mannon (Birmingham, Ala.) recorded a career-high five goals and junior Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.) added a career-high four goals to lift visiting Wellesley College lacrosse to a 17-5 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over the United States Coast Guard Academy on Saturday afternoon.

The Blue improve to 2-3 in NEWMAC play with their seventh win of the season (7-6 overall). Coast Guard, currently in the program's second varsity season, is now 2-11 overall and 0-6 in conference.

Mannon registered two assists to finish with a game-high seven-points. Peterson also added a helper to finish with five points in the contest. The Blue had four multi-goal scorers in all, as junior Mary Lemay (Longmeadow, Mass.) scored her fifth hat trick of the season and classmate Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) scored twice and had an assist to increase her team-leading point total to 39. The Blue also got a goal and an assist each from senior Chesley Hooker (Cypress, Texas) and first years Lena Engbretson (Beaverton, Ore.) and Dacia Persky (Las Vegas, Nev.). In goal, first year Chloe Tucker (San Ramon, Calif.) made one save on six shots to earn the first win of her collegiate career.

First year Carter Sanderson (Stillwater, Minn.) scored a hat trick to lead the Bears. Sophomore Daria McKenna (Mystic, Conn.) chipped in with her team-leading 15th goal of the season, while first year Anne McGoldrick (Glenside, Pa.) also scored. Sophomore Angel Fay (Culver, Ind.) made seven saves to run her NEWMAC-leading total to 126 on the season. Fay is now 2-11 overall.

Lemay and Mannon opened the scoring in the game, with Mannon setting up the game's first goal with a pass to Lemay at 29:19. Mannon then scored on a free position shot at 27:39. Sanderson got one back for Coast Guard at 25:43, but the Blue would go on to score seven unanswered to open up a sizable 9-1 edge with just over seven minutes remaining in the opening half.

Sanderson stopped the run with her second at 4:52 of the first, only to see Peterson run off three goals in a row to send the Blue into the break with a 12-2 lead.

The Bears held the Blue to just five goals in the second stanza, managing three of their own, as the Blue cruised to the 17-5 final. Mannon and Lemay each scored twice after halftime, while Hooker scored the game's final goal.

The Blue held a 33-9 edge in shots, a 12-5 advantage in ground balls and a commanding 19-4 lead in draw controls in the game.

Both teams continue the NEWMAC season on Wednesday afternoon, April 20. The Blue return home to host Emerson at 5:00 PM and Coast Guard plays at Babson at 4:00 PM.