Wellesley Lacrosse Drops Season Opener to Framingham St., 19-12

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Sophomore Izzy Burdick (Scarborough, Maine) scored a hat trick and added an assist but Wellesley Lacrosse opened the 2020 season with a 19-12 non-conference setback to Framingham State University on Wednesday at Butler Stadium. 

Framingham St. got four goals and two assists from senior Grace Gamache (Dartmouth, Mass.) to improve to 1-1 on the season. Wellesley, playing the program's first game at the recently renovated Butler Stadium, opens the season with an 0-1 record. 

Gamache scored a pair of goals in each half to lead the Rams. Juniors Jenna McMahon (Watertown, Mass.) and Alissa Marino (Trumbull, Conn.) each tallied hat tricks, with McMahon adding a team-high four draw controls. Morgan Begley (Milton, Mass.), Hanna McMahon (Watertown, Mass.), and Skye Whitlock (Everett, Mass.) each added a pair of goals for the visitors. Junior Maggie Destino (Gloucester, Mass.) picked-up a team-high four ground balls. 

Burdick scored the first goal of the game for the Blue before adding a pair late in the contest to record her first career hat trick. Junior Kat Gallison (Portsmouth, R.I.) added two goals and four assists, and a game-high 11 draw controls for Wellesley. Gallison was one of four Wellesley players, along classmates Ella Matticks (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Louise Conaty (Wilmington, Del.), and sophomore Cassia Schuler (Portland, Ore.), to score two goals in the game. Goalkeeper Lorna Li (Taunton, Mass.) finished with a team-high four ground balls and eight saves for the Blue. 

Framingham St. scored five goals in the opening ten minutes, taking a 5-2 lead when Whitlock netted her first at 22:06. Schuler's first at 21:24 pulled the Blue within two, but the Rams scored eight goals over the final 16:04 to carry an 11-5 lead into the half. Framingham St. scored five of the final six goals in the first half, including two on free position attempts by Jenna McMahon. The Rams finished the game 3-of-8 on free position shots. 

Wellesley scored three of the first four goals in the second half to cut the Framingham St. lead to 12-8. However, the Rams responded to regain control of the contest. Gamache scored back-to-back goals at 14:17 and 13:19 to key a 6-0 Framingham St. flurry. Begley capped the run with an unassisted effort at 7:50, scoring her fifth of the year to make the score 18-8. Burdick scored two of the four Wellesley goals over the final 4:05 but the Rams closed out the win. 

Framingham St. had a 34-25 advantage in shots and a 22-18 edge in ground balls. Alexis Burleigh (Vernon, Conn.) earned the win in goal, making five saves on 13 shots on goal. Sophomore Mikayla Seavey (Bridgewater, Mass.) made one save in relief in the second half. 

Wellesley will welcome Wentworth in non-conference action next Wednesday, March 4, at 4:00 PM. Framingham St. will play at Roger Williams on Saturday, February 29, at 1:00 PM.