PURCHASE, N.Y. – Kicking off a lacrosse doubleheader on GoValiants.com Field, the Manhattanville College women's lacrosse team was bested by Utica on Saturday morning, 18-7. Manhattanville drops to 0-3 on the season with the loss.
The Pioneers scored 10 goals in the first quarter and outscored the Valiants 15-2 across the first half to pull away in the game. While Manhattanville was able to outscore Utica 5-3 over the final 30 minutes, the explosive first half for Utica was too steep of a hill for the Valiants to climb back up.
Utica opened up the contest with eight straight goals over the first ten minutes of play, with Lexi Scaccia getting things started just 32 seconds into the contest. The Pioneers would net three goals in the opening 1:08 of play, methodically building their lead through the first quarter. Ashley Guerra would score three straight as part of the Utica run to pull ahead 5-0. Down 8-0 with 4:25 left in the first,
Maura Kelly (Stratford, Conn./Bunnell) was able to get the Valiants on the board, causing a turnover and collecting the loose ground ball before working her way through the attacking zone and scoring. The Pioneers responded with two more before
Caity Bianchi (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) netted her fourth goal of the year off a feed from
Brialee Logue (Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet) with two minutes remaining, sending the game to the second with Utica up 10-2.
The Valiants attack was stymied in the second quarter, being held to just one shot. The Pioneers were relentless on the offensive side of play, firing 13 shots in the 15 minutes and scoring five more goals to head into the half up 15-2. Manhattanville started the second half on the right foot, as
Marisa D'Angelo (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) netted the first score of the third quarter 1:28 into the frame from an assist by Kelly. For D'Angelo, it was her team-leading fifth goal of the season, while Kelly picked up assist No. 2 on the young campaign.
Kerry Carr (New Hartford, N.Y./Millbrook School) made it two in a row for the Vals, collecting a ground ball on Manhattanville's side of the field before weaving through defenders and scoring her third of the year. After a 3-0 Pioneer run,
Ally Petricca (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park Memorial) got Manhattanville back on the board courtesy of Logue's second assist of the day with 1:34 left in the third.
The Valiants would end the day on a high note, scoring the only two goals of the fourth quarter. Carr struck first with her second of the day, capitalizing on a Utica penalty that gave Manhattanville a man advantage. With one less defender to worry about, Kelly found Carr in the attacking zone to set up the goal with 8:02 left in regulation. The Valiants added one more before everything was said and done, as Kelly and Carr swapped roles from the previous tally. Carr earned her second assist of the year, setting up Kelly's fourth score of the season.
Kelly and Carr were all over the field on Saturday, also ending the game as Manhattanville's leader in cause turnovers and ground balls. Kelly caused six Pioneer turnovers and scooped up five ground balls, while Carr ended the day with three and four, respectively. Carr also had a team-high five draw controls. In net,
Britney Sirota (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) made seven saves.
Up Next
The Valiants hit the road on Wednesday, heading up to Albany to take on Sage College at 3 p.m.
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