NEW LONDON, Conn. – Trailing 8-7 heading to the fourth quarter, the Connecticut College women's lacrosse team outscored No. 10 Amherst, 5-2, to come away with a 12-10 win on Wednesday night from Silfen Field. With the win, Conn improves to 7-6 on the year and 2-6 in NESCAC play, while Amherst falls to 8-3 overall and 4-3 in conference action.
Both teams started quickly, combining for five goals in the opening five minutes. Amherst struck first on a tally from Emily Petersen just 38 seconds in. Conn answered a minute and a half later, as Emma Ognibene (New Canaan, Conn.) found Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) who fired home to even the score.
The Mammoths retook the lead off the ensuing draw, but back-to-back goals from Conn, put the Camels in front at 10:08. Aine Downey (Brookline, Mass.) tied the game at two off an assist from Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.), before Elizabeth Gill (Hingham, Mass.) hit Ognibene who put Conn in front. Both defenses locked down the rest of the quarter, as Conn led 3-2 after one.
Amherst jumped back in front five minutes into the second quarter, off back-to-back markers from the Mammoths. Johnston evened the score at four, two minutes later, finishing off a nifty move on a free-position shot. Amherst answered with two goals in the final four minutes, to take a 6-4 lead at the break.
Conn got some energy to start the second half, as the Camels tied the game up just two minutes in. Coughlin hit Caroline Bruce (Acton, Mass.) for a tally, before Downey converted a free-position shot to make it 6-6. Amherst went back in front at 8:13 off a goal from Clara Sosa, but Ognibene answered a minute later. The Mammoths beat the end of the quarter, with a tally in the final thirty seconds to lead 8-7 heading to the fourth.
Conn again struck early in a quarter, as Greta Panke (Milldale, Conn.) made it 8-8 with 14 minutes to play. However, just a minute later, Amherst retook the lead off another goal from Petersen. The Camels did not go away, as Conn scored three times in just under two minutes to move in front 11-9 with 5:50 to play. Downey finished off a pass from Gill, before setting up Ognibene herself to make it 10-9, Johnston ending the run on an unassisted marker. Just over a minute later, Amherst cut the deficit to one, before Gill found Bruce with a quick pass, to give the Camels all the insurance they needed, coming away with the 12-10 win.
Conn outshot Amherst 30-29, while both teams won 13 draws.
Ava Virga (Watertown, N.Y.) picked up the win, finishing with 10 saves in the cage. Downey and Ognibene paced Conn with four points on three goals and one assist each. Gill added three assists, while Johnston notched two goals and one assist. Bruce chipped in two goals, Coughlin added a goal and an assist, and Panke tallied one goal.
Defensively, Conn scooped up 24 ground balls, with Virga collecting a team-high six and Brogan Holbrough (Rochester, N.Y.) adding five. Panke and Sydney Weber (Hanover, Mass.) both controlled four draws, while Downey collected three.
Lily Samoska got the start in goal, recording nine saves. Mia Raven led the Mammoths with four points, while Petersen had three goals.
Conn has a week and a half off before returning to action on Saturday, April 19 to take on Hamilton at 12:00 p.m. on Silfen Field.
