Blue Lacrosse Picks Up 9-7 Win over Saint Joseph (Conn.)

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Senior Gabrielle Shell (Columbus, Ohio) earned five points (two goals, three assists) to give Wellesley College lacrosse a competitive 9-7 non-conference win over University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Wednesday at Butler Stadium. Junior Julee Sharma (Lake Mary, Fla.) grabbed a career-high seven ground balls for the Blue (2-3 Overall).

Sophomore Finley Tipton (Coppell, Texas) added a pair of goals and assists for Wellesley. First year Lillian Games (Wayne, Pa.) recorded a hat-trick. Sophomore Phoebe Calero (Havre de Grace, Md.) won four draw controls. Classmate Anna Blake Patrick (Portland, Ore.) stopped six shots for the Blue.

Grad student Ashley Rufo (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored four goals with an assist for the Bluejays (2-1 Overall). First year Anna LeGault (Colchester, Conn.) contributed two goals and two assists. Senior defender Makayla Bunker (Bristol, Conn.) won a game-high six draw controls. Sophomore keeper Colleen Stringer (Point Lookout, N.Y.) made 14 saves.

Saint Joseph was down 8-6 to begin the fourth quarter. LeGault converted a free-position shot at the 11:37 mark to cut Wellesley's lead to one. With just over nine minutes remaining in the game, Tipton answered back with a free position goal to give the Blue a 9-7 lead. Neither team scored again, giving Wellesley the victory.

Wellesley held a 3-0 lead halfway through the first quarter. Shell scored twice and assisted on a goal by senior Willa McGough (Plainfield, N.H.). Tipton and first year Katie McCabe (Jupiter, Fla.) both earned assists. 

LeGault converted a free position for Saint Joseph ten minutes into the game before the Blue struck back with a goal from first year Mallory Kennison (Norway, Maine). Rufo cut the Bluejays deficit to 4-2 by the end of the first quarter.

Each team had a pair of goals in the second quarter. Tipton registered a goal and an assist for Wellesley while Games tallied a goal. Rufo found the back of the net twice for the Bluejays and LeGault had an assist.

Again each team picked up two goals in the third quarter to keep it a two-goal game after three periods of play. This time Games had both scores for the Blue. Rufo had a goal and an assist while senior Lauryn Wilks (Hartford, Conn.) added a goal.

Wellesley outshot Saint Joseph 29-23. The Bluejays went 3-of-5 on free position shots while the Blue were 1-for-4. 

The Blue remain home to host Salve Regina in a NEWMAC contest on Saturday, March 16 at 1:00 PM. The Bluejays travel to Colby-Sawyer at 4:00 the same day.