Second Half Rally Falls Short For Blue Lacrosse at Mount Holyoke

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- Mount Holyoke College first year Abby Baldwin (Florence, Mass.) recorded a game-high six goals to lift the Lyons to a 15-12 victory over Wellesley College lacrosse in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon.

The Lyons are now 7-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play. The Blue outscored Lyons in the second half but couldn't erase a six-goal halftime deficit and are now 5-8 overall and 1-4 in NEWMAC action. 

Baldwin added four draw controls for the Lyons, who also got three goals and seven draw controls from junior Julianna Rankin (Annapolis, Md.). Junior Kathryn Violette (Yokosuka City, Japan) had a game-high four ground balls for the hosts, who also got a pair of goals from first year Allie Brown (Burlington, Vt.). 

Wellesley senior Dacia Persky (Las Vegas, Nev.) had six points on five goals and an assist to lead the Blue. Sophomore Kat Gallison (Portsmouth, R.I.) added three ground balls, five draw controls and a game-best three caused turnovers, while senior Ellie Chalphin (Philadelphia, Pa.), sophomore Carson Dennis (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.), and first year Izzy Burdick (Scarborough, Maine) each recorded two-goal games.

Wellesley senior Olivia Strobl (Stafford, Va.) scored the first goal of the game but the Lyons would go on to build a 6-2 advantage by the midway point of the first. Baldwin scored twice on free position attempts as part of a 5-1 Mount Holyoke run that ended with a Deyscha Smith (Boston, Mass.) tally at 16:22. Chalphin cut the deficit to 6-3, but the Lyons would take a 10-4 lead into the break, as Baldwin completed first half hat trick at 2:49 and Rankin scored the final goal of the first at 1:48. 

The Blue outscored the Lyons, 8-5, in the second half but could not overcome the six-goal halftime deficit and a seven-goal second half deficit. A goal from Meryl Phair (Stockbridge, Mass.) made the score 14-7 Lyons before the Blue offense got to work. Wellesley scored four straight goals, cutting the lead to 14-11 when Persky netted her fifth at 8:19. Baldwin capitalized on a free position shot at 5:32 to put the Lyons back-up four, 15-11. Burdick would cut the Blue deficit back to three, 15-12, with 2:01 left in regulation, but the Blue comeback would run out of time. 

Mount Holyoke outshot the Blue by a 39-24 margin. Lyons junior goalkeeper Mia Wysocki (Longmeadow, Mass.) recorded the win (6-5), making eight saves. Blue first year Lorna Li (Taunton, Mass.) made nine saves to drop to 4-6 on the season.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday at 4pm in NEWMAC action. Mount Holyoke travels to Springfield, while Wellesley hosts Coast Guard.