Salve Regina Uses Fourth Quarter Rally to Down Wellesley Lacrosse, 12-9

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Visiting Salve Regina University scored four-straight goals in the fourth quarter to rally for a 12-9 victory over Wellesley College lacrosse in the NEWMAC season opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Butler Stadium. 

Junior Samantha Moleti (Township of Washington, N.J.) finished with two goals, three assists and four draw controls to lead the Seahawks (6-1, 1-0 NEWMAC). First year Daniella Bruno (Niantic, Conn.) recorded a hat-trick while juniors Cameron Baston (Plantsville, Conn.) and Kaylo Garcia (Southington, Conn.) each added a pair of goals for Salve Regina. The three-goal effort was the first of Bruno's career. 

First year Lillian Games (Wayne, Pa.) scored three goals to lead Wellesley (2-4, 0-1 NEWMAC). Games now has 11 goals in the last three games for the Blue. First year Katie McCabe (Jupiter, Fla.) netted two goals and added an assist, while sophomore Finley Tipton (Coppell, Texas) finished with a goal, an assist, and nine draw controls. Tipton now has 21 goals on the season. Junior Ryan Boone (Scotch Plains, N.J.) matched sophomore goalkeeper Anna Blake Patrick (Portland, Ore.) with a game-high five ground balls. 

Salve Regina jumped to a 3-1 lead with 3:45 to play in the first quarter when Moleti set-up Holly Sullivan (Pembroke, Mass.). However, Games' first goal of the contest came on a nice feed from Tipton with just 11 seconds left in the first to pull Wellesley within one at the break, 3-2. 

The Blue used the momentum in the second quarter, outscoring the Seahawks, 3-1, to take a 5-4 lead into halftime. Games scored the first and the final goal of the quarter, scoring unassisted at the 10:49 mark before netting a free position shot with the Blue playing up a player with just over one minute left before halftime.

Salve scored four-straight goals after halftime, as Baston opened and ended the run with a pair of free position shots at 11:07 and 6:58. Bruno and Garcia also scored for Salve Regina to push the visitors ahead, 8-5. 

The Blue countered, scoring two goals at the end of the third quarter and two goals at the start of the fourth quarter, to take a 9-8 lead with 13:48 to play. McCabe and first year Mallory Kennison (Norway, Maine) started the rally with goals at 6:47 and 5:47 of the third. Sophomore Allie Beighle (Missoula, Mont.) then netted a goal on a sweet setup from McCabe twenty seconds into the fourth before first year Amelia Dupont (New York, N.Y.) found sophomore Phoebe Calero (Havre de Grace, Md.) to put Wellesley ahead, 9-8. 

Trailing for the first time since halftime, Salve Regina responded with another four-goal rally to take control of the game. Moleti tied the game at 12:28 of the fourth before Alix Madden (Plymouth, Mass.) put the Seahawks ahead, 10-9, on a free position shot at 7:38. Goals from Baston and Garcia at 5:31 and 4:15 put the contest out of reach and gave Salve Regina the 12-9 win. 

Junior Grace Haesche (Warwick, N.Y.) made 13 saves in the Salve Regina goal to earn the win (6-1 overall). Blake Patrick (1-3 overall) turned back 14 shots in the setback for the Blue. Salve Regina finished the contest with a 33-25 advantage in shots and collected 25 ground balls. Wellesley scooped up 22 ground balls and had a 15-9 advantage in draw controls. 

Wellesley concludes a four-game homestand at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, March 20 with a non-conference matchup against Nichols. Salve Regina travels to Saint Joseph (Conn.) for a 4:00 game on Tuesday, March 19.