Blue Lacrosse Dealt 10-9 Overtime Setback by Gordon; Tipton Scores Seven

WENHAM, Mass. – Sophomore Caroline Piorkowski (Millis, Mass.) scored four goals, including a game-winner in overtime, for Gordon College in a 10-9 victory against Wellesley College lacrosse on Wednesday afternoon at Brigham Athletic Complex. Wellesley sophomore Finley Tipton (Coppell, Texas) scored a single-game high seven goals for the Blue (0-2 Overall).

After the score was tied 9-9 at the end of regulation, Piorkowski gave the Fighting Scots (1-2 Overall) the win with 19 seconds remaining in the overtime period. Junior Kaitlyn Mini (Malden, Mass.) assisted on the score. 

In addition to four goals, Piorkowski recorded a pair of assists. Mini scored a hat-trick with a trio of assists. Sophomore Brooke Roberti (Berlin, Conn.) put up a pair of goals. Senior Jordan Miller (Walworth, N.Y.) led Gordon with five ground balls and four caused turnovers. Junior Kayla Davidson (Dracut, Mass.) made seven saves.

Senior Gabrielle Shell (Upper Arlington, Ohio) contributed two goals for Wellesley. Junior Anna Tutek (Trumbull, Conn.) caused four turnovers and classmate Julee Sharma (Lake Mary, Fla.) collected five ground balls. Junior Cianna Salvatora (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and sophomore Anna Blake Patrick (Portland, Ore.) combined to stop eight shots.

Mini gave the Fighting Scots a 9-6 lead 1:42 seconds into the fourth quarter off of a pass from grad student Becca Rhoda (Canandaigua, N.Y.).

The Blue clawed back into the game with Tipton running her goal count to seven with two more scores. Wellesley trailed by a goal with three and a half minutes left to play. Shell utilized a man up situation by ripping a goal set up by first year Sofia Pietrus (Raleigh, N.C.) with 1:57 to play. Neither team broke the 9-9 stalemate before the final horn, forcing overtime.

Earlier on, Shell and Tipton gave the Blue a 2-0 lead three minutes into the game. Tipton and senior Willa McGough (Plainfield, N.H.) earned assists.

Gordon stormed back with two goals of its own. Mini registered a goal and an assist. Piorkowski added a goal. Tipton put two more goals on the scoreboard for Wellesley and Piorkowski had one Gordon in the first quarter. The Blue led 4-3 after one quarter. 

Sophomore Lilia Bailey (Annapolis, Md.) knotted the game up at 4-4 by converting a free position shot at the 12:15 mark of the second period. Piorkowski completed a hat-trick to give the Fighting Scots its first lead at the midway point of the second. Piorkowski then assisted on a goal by Roberti to put Gordon up 6-4 with 2:46 remaining in the half. The Fighting Scots took the two goal lead into halftime.

Both teams struck twice in the third quarter. Tipton tacked on two more for Wellesley and Mini and Roberti did the damage for Gordon. Mini and Piorkowski had assists for Gordon. Sophomore Allie Beighle (Missoula, Mont.) recorded an assist for the Blue. 

Gordon narrowly outshot Wellesley 23-22. The Fighting Scots completed 21-of-24 clear attempts while the Blue were successful on 19-of-28.

Next up, the Blue wrap up a three-game road stretch on Saturday, March 2 at Worcester State. The game begins at 12:00 PM. The Fighting Scots play in Clearwater, Fla. at 10:00 AM against Grove City on Friday, March 1.