NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team fell to visiting No. 1 ranked Middlebury College 14-3 on Friday night from Silfen Field. With the loss, Conn falls to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in NESCAC play, while Middlebury improves to 7-0 and 4-0 in conference play.
The game started slow as both sides felt each other out over the opening five minutes. Middlebury (7-0, 4-0 NESCAC) opened the scoring with a free-position goal at 9:53. Just fifty seconds later, the Panthers doubled the lead on a tally from Kelcey Dion. Middlebury added three more goals in the quarter, to lead 5-0 after one. Conn (4-3, 1-3 NESCAC) got on the board early in the second quarter as Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) found Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) at 14:20 to put the Camels on the board. Middlebury ended the quarter with five more goals to lead 10-1 at the break.
The scoring slowed down in the second half, as the Panthers scored twice in the third quarter to lead 12-1 heading to the fourth quarter. Coughlin notched her second goal of the game at 9:52, converting on a free-position shot. Middlebury responded with two straight goals, pushing the lead to 14-2. At 2:25 Aine Downey (Brookline, Mass.) hit the back of the net on a free-position shot, as the Camels fell 14-3.
Middlebury outshot Conn 31-12, while Conn controlled 12 of 21 draws.
Viollette Nidds (Ridgewood, N.J.) got the start in goal, finishing with nine saves. Coughlin paced the Camels with two goals, while Downey recorded one goal, and Johnston added one assist.
Conn picked up 13 ground balls, with Brooke McKenna (Ridgewood, N.J.), Eliza Ritter (Glen Head, N.Y.), and Greta Panke (Milldale, Conn.) all scooping up three. The Camels caused seven turnovers with two caused by McKenna, Ritter, and Panke. Conn was 10-12 on clear attempts, while controlling 12 draws, with Downey collecting four.
Gina Driscoll got the win in net, finishing with two saves in the first half, before being replaced by Elizabeth Savage who made five saves in the second half. Hope Shue paced the Panthers with four goals, while Caroline Adams added three.
Conn continues their homestand on Wednesday night, as the Camels host Western Connecticut State at 7:00 p.m. on Silfen Field.
