PLYMOUTH, N.H. – In a potential playoff preview, Western Connecticut State University scored four unanswered goals to slip past Plymouth State University, 7-6, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's lacrosse game at Panther Field on Saturday morning.
The physical game went back-and-forth until back-to-back highlight goals by junior
Emily Santom (Litchfield, N.H.) gave the Panthers a 6-3 lead with less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter. WestConn would get one back with a minute left in the frame, then scored the only three goals of the fourth quarter to rally for the come-from-behind win.
Sophomore
Piper Sherbert (Freeport, Maine) was outstanding in the cage for Plymouth State, easily establishing a new career high with 17 saves and posting a .708 save percentage.
Plymouth State goes to 10-4 overall and 4-1 in the LEC, while WestConn moves into sole possession of first place in the league at 5-0 (11-4 overall).
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 6, WestConn 7
- Plymouth State (10-4, 4-1 LEC)
- WestConn (11-4, 5-0 LEC)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- In a back-and-forth first quarter, WestConn got out to a 2-0 lead before junior Olivia Croke (Norwell, Mass.) cut the deficit in half with a player-up goal with just 21 seconds left.
- Senior Kaylee St. Laurent (Alfred, Maine) picked up a loose ball near the PSU crease and streaked down the field for a successful clear, before connecting with Santom for the equalizer two minutes into the second.
- The WestConn goaltender came well outside of her crease and freshman Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) pestered her into a turnover, then picked up the loose ball and fired to Croke for an easy score to give the Panthers the lead, 3-2, with 11:04 left in the half.
- The Wolves pulled even with 4:20 remaining, but sophomore Megan Gaspa (Laconia, N.H.) restored the one-goal lead firing into the cage as she fell to her knees and PSU would go into the break ahead 4-3.
- Sophomore Tarryn O'Brien (Weymouth, Mass.) found Santom all alone in front of the goal late in the third quarter. Santom made a series of moves, leaving the WestConn goalie in a heap on the ground, before scoring her second of the day.
- Santom struck again 1:30 later to extend the margin to 6-3, but the Wolves added a late goal to make it 6-4 heading to the fourth.
- WestConn scored three straight, including a pair of free position shots, to go ahead, 7-6, with 2:55 left to play and the Panthers were unable to rally.
By the Numbers:
- Sherbert's 17 saves were her most ever, easily topping her previous best of 11.
- Santom finished with three goals and an assist and now has 41 tallies in 12 games.
- Croke added a pair of goals to go with two ground balls.
- Senior Devon Mello (Laconia, N.H.) and Sherbert matched game-highs with four ground balls apiece, while juniors Julia Mahoney (Stratford, Conn.) and Autumn Nelson (Weare, N.H.) both had a pair of caused turnovers.
- Plymouth State finished 15-of-21 in clear attempts, while WestConn was 12-of-18.
- The Panthers won the ground ball battle, 23-17, but the Wolves snagged 13 draw controls to PSU's four.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State hosts LEC foe Castleton University on Wednesday (Apr. 27) for a Senior Day clash at 6:00 p.m.
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