Persky Helps Power Blue Lacrosse To 12-7 Victory Over Utica

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Dacia Persky (Las Vegas, Nev.) recorded a game-high five points, scoring a hat-trick and adding two assists, to lead Wellesley College lacrosse to a 12-7 non-conference victory over Utica College on Saturday at the Wellesley Fields Complex. 

Wellesley, winners of back-to-back games, is now 2-2 on the season and in non-conference action. Utica drops to 1-3 overall, having lost three-straight since a season opening win over SUNY Potsdam.

Persky totaled the second five-point game of her Wellesley career, while also picking up one ground ball and one draw control. Senior Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.) also recorded a hat-trick and grabbed three ground balls. Classmates Nikki Sharkin (Summit, N.J.) and Mary Lemay (Longmeadow, Mass.) each netted a pair of goals. Sharkin also added an assist, scooped up two ground balls and had four caused turnovers. She was also Wellesley's team leader in draw controls with four. Sophomore Lena Engbretson (Beaverton, Ore.) and first year Carley Phillips (Waterford, Conn.) each added a goal and an assist for the Blue. Phillips now has four-straight multi-point games to open her career. 

Utica senior Rebecca Plunkett (Kings Park, N.Y.) led all goal-scorers with four in Saturday's contest, scoring a first half hat-trick before tacking on her fourth in the second half to increase her team-leading total to 12 on the season. Sophomore Katlyn Scarpinella (South Setauket, N.Y.) totaled a game-high three assists, including two to Plunkett, to go along with two ground balls and a caused turnover. Junior Brooke Miller (Rome, N.Y.) netted a pair of goals and collected a pair of ground balls. First year Hailee DuMont (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) rounded out the Utica scoring with her second-career marker, while senior Maggie Notter (Clifton Springs, N.Y.) recorded a game-high six ground balls.

Behind Plunkett, Utica took a 2-0 lead to start the game. Wellesley followed with a 4-0 run, with four different goal scorers finding the net to give the Blue the lead. Peterson finished on a feed from Engbretson to start the run at 24:20, Phillips followed at 20:00, before Persky and Engrbretson scored at 15:24 and 14:48 to give the Blue the 4-2 edge. Plunkett stopped the run, completing her hat-trick at 7:41, to make the score 4-3. However, Wellesley goals from Peterson and Lemay at 5:39 and 4:52 gave Wellesley their largest lead of the half, at 6-3. Miller's first of the game for Utica with 1:05 left in the first sent the sides into the break with the Blue leading 6-4. 

Phillips set-up Sharkin to open the second half, but back-to-back Pioneer goals from DuMont and Miller cut the Wellesley lead to one, at 7-6, with over 20 minutes to play. The Blue responded by scoring five of the final six goals in the game. Goals from Lemay and Peterson at 17:34 and 16:37 were followed by scores from Persky and Sharkin at 15:23 and 11:55, as Wellesley took an 11-6 lead with just under 12 minutes left. Plunkett broke the string for the Utica, but Persky capped the scoring with her hat-trick goal to close out the 12-7 Wellesley win.

Wellesley senior goalkeeper Wendy Nettleton (La Jolla, Calif.) made ten saves to earn her second win of the year. Utica rookie netminder Hali Vandermeulen (Walden, N.Y.) turned back 11 shots in the setback. Wellesley finished the contest with a 23-17 edge in shots on goal and 21-15 advantage in ground balls. 

Wellesley returns to action on Wednesday, March 22, when they make the short trip to play Framingham St. at 6:00 PM. Utica is also on the road on Wednesday, they will take on Cazenovia at 4:00 PM.