PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore
Maddie Hunt (Acton, Mass.) scored five times and Plymouth State University opened with nine straight goals as the Panthers topped Eastern Connecticut State University, 19-4, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's lacrosse game on
Senior Day at Panther Field Saturday afternoon.
Senior
Olivia Croke (Norwell, Mass.) scored twice and had a pair of assists in the first quarter alone, while Hunt added two goals of her own as PSU raced out to an 8-0 lead after one. Hunt converted a feed from Croke to make it 9-0 early in the second period and the Panthers were never challenged.
Prior to the game, Plymouth State honored its senior class in a brief on-field ceremony;
Julia Mahoney (Stratford, Conn.),
Jalen Cook (Monkton, Vt.),
Autumn Nelson (Weare, N.H.),
Emily Santom (Litchfield, N.H.),
Sarah Schartner (Plymouth, N.H.) and Croke.
With the victory Plymouth State ends the regular season with a 10-6 record (6-1 LEC). The Panthers lock up the second seed for next week's LEC Tournament and earn a bye into Thursday's semifinal round. Eastern Connecticut goes to 5-10 and 3-4 in conference play and will be the fifth seed.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 19, Eastern Connecticut 4
- Plymouth State (10-6, 6-1 LEC)
- Eastern Connecticut (5-10, 3-4 LEC)
How it Happened:
- The game was scoreless for the first six minutes until Plymouth State went on an offensive barrage. Croke opened the scoring at the 6:15 mark and added her second just a minute later.
- The floodgates opened from there, as junior Megan Gaspa (Laconia, N.H.), Santom and sophomore Jenna Stowell (Londonderry, N.H.) all scored in a 57-second span.
- Hunt followed with her first of the day moments later and sophomore Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) and Hunt added late goals for an 8-0 lead.
- Hunt buried her third of the game 4:25 into the second before the Warriors got on the board.
- Hunt answered right back less than 30 seconds later and Croke made it 11-1 at the half.
- Plymouth State started the third on a 4-0 run, with senior Amelia Thomas (Hopkinton, N.H.) starting the spurt that included Hunt's fifth of the afternoon and another two goals from Donovan, before Eastern Connecticut got on back for a 15-2 score after three.
- Junior Tarryn O'Brien (Weymouth, Mass.) kicked off the scoring in the final period, with Donovan, Stowell and Santom also finding the back of the cage as PSU coasted to the win.
By the Numbers:
- Hunt finished with a career-high seven points on five goals and two assists.
- Donovan finished with four goals and an assist, while Croke chipped in three goals, three assists and a caused turnover.
- Santom added a pair of goals with two helpers, as Stowell stuffed the stat sheet with two goals, an assist, four ground balls, 12 draw controls and two caused turnovers.
- Cook and junior Emily Le Do (Portsmouth, R.I.) added three ground balls apiece and Nelson had a pair of caused turnovers.
- Sophomore Margie Black (Longmeadow, Mass.) made five saves to earn the win.
- Plymouth State outshot the Warriors by a 39-14 margin, including 31-9 in shots on goal.
- The Panthers went 13-for-15 in clear attempts and won 19-of-24 draw controls.
- PSU also held the edge in ground balls by a 17-12 advantage.
- Plymouth State has registered double-digit wins in 11 of the last 14 years and has earned a first round bye in five of six seasons.
- PSU has won seven straight meetings between the two teams.
Up Next:
- The second-seeded Panthers earn a first round bye and will host the winner of third-seeded Southern Maine and sixth-seeded UMass Dartmouth in a semifinal game on Thursday (May 4) at 5:00 p.m.
– 30 –
