CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A player-advantage goal by junior
Nina Petulla (Natick, Mass.) with five minutes remaining in regulation created enough of a cushion as No. 2 seeded MIT defeated No. 3 Springfield College, 9-6, in the semifinals of the NEWMAC Women's Lacrosse Championship on Wednesday night. With the win, the Engineers will be making their third straight appearance in the title game and their fourth overall. Sophomore
Pauline Vien (Brookline, Mass.) collected 11 saves for MIT while sophomore Izzy Lalancette (Feeding Hills, Mass.) produced three goals, five groundballs, and three caused turnovers for the Pride.
THE BASICS:
- Score: MIT 9, Springfield 6
- Records: MIT (12-7 Overall); Springfield (14-4 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Junior Gwen Flusche (Ridgewood, N.J) opened the scoring after 1:10 expired, however, Lalancette found the back of the net just under a minute later. Senior Sydney Pyon (Garnet Valley, Pa.) quickly gave MIT a 2-1 edge with 11:54 on the clock.
- The score remained unchanged until senior Lilly Vey (Foxboro, Mass.) buried the equalizer at the 5:58 mark. Junior Annica Lam (Livingston, N.J.) replied by redirecting a feed from classmate Ashley Thomas (Summit, N.J.). Lalancette countered by converting a player-advantage goal with two seconds remaining, tying the score at 3-3.
- The deadlock held until sophomore Alexis Reinard (Nottingham, Pa.) broke through with a player-advantage goal with 6:41 on the clock. Flusche followed with a free position goal and then Lam registered a player-down goal, giving the Engineers a 6-3 lead with just under three minutes left.
- Junior Lily Johnson (Oceanside, N.Y.) was a factor in Springfield's next two goals as she recorded a player-advantage tally and earned an assist on a blast by first-year Payton Imhof (Bay Shore, N.Y.) with 24 seconds to go.
- The Engineers outscored the Pride, 2-0, in the third quarter to establish an 8-5 lead. Thomas redirected a pass from Pyon midway through the frame while Flusche connected on a feed from Lam for a player-advantage goal with 2:57 on the clock.
- Lalancette completed the hat trick five minutes into the fourth quarter. A defensive battle ensued until Petulla's player-advantage goal at the 5:02 mark.
- MIT won the ensuing draw and put a shot on goal which was saved by graduate student Kate Laico (East Meadow, N.Y.). This proved to be the final shot of the game as both teams forced turnovers down the stretch.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Flusche tallied three goals, one assist, and four draw controls while Lam finished with two goals and one assist.
- Thomas posted one goal and two assists as Pyon compiled one goal, one assist, three groundballs, and two caused turnovers.
- Reinard and senior Julianne Flusche (Ridgewood, N.J.) both notched two groundballs and two caused turnovers.
- Johnson finished with one goal and one assist while senior Samantha Andresen (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) produced two caused turnovers and two draw controls for the Pride.
- Laico ended the night with seven saves.
- This was the second year in a row MIT defeated Springfield in the semifinals.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will travel to top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 14 Babson College for the NEWMAC Championship on Saturday, May 3 at 1:00 PM.
- This will be the third year in a row the Engineers will face the Beavers in the title game.
STAY CONNECTED:
