BABSON PARK, Mass. – A 5-1 run in the second quarter helped power No. 2 seed MIT to a 16-6 victory over top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 14 Babson College in the NEWMAC Women's Lacrosse Championship on Saturday afternoon at MacDowell Field. The Engineers captured the program's second conference title, exactly 10 years after winning their first. For her performance throughout the tournament, sophomore goalie
Pauline Vien (Brookline, Mass.) was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
THE BASICS:
- Score: MIT 16, No. 14 Babson 6
- Records: MIT (13-7 Overall); Babson (14-3 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Senior Sydney Pyon (Garnet Valley, Pa.) opened the scoring after 38 seconds elapsed, but Babson produced back-to-back goals to go in front at the 7:13 mark. MIT replied with goals from sophomore Jillian Butler (Brecksville, Ohio), junior Annica Lam (Livingston, N.J.), and first-year Alexis Reinard (Nottingham, Pa.) to go ahead, 4-2, with 1:04 left in the quarter. The Beavers countered with a goal with 25 seconds remaining.
- In the pivotal second quarter that saw the Engineers build a 9-4 advantage, senior Julianne Flusche (Ridgewood, N.J.) scored twice during the last 45 seconds.
- MIT continued to pull away in the third quarter as it outscored Babson, 5-0. During the frame, Reinard and junior Ashley Thomas (Summit, N.J.) both completed their hat tricks.
- The Beavers ended their 25-minute scoring drought at the 13:52 mark of the fourth quarter, making the score 14-5. Pyon quickly replied with her third goal of the day and then junior Gwen Flusche (Ridgewood, N.J.) capped the scoring for the Engineers with 6:33 to go. Babson netted the final goal with 24 seconds left to play.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Thomas finished with three goals and three assists, helping raise her career point total to 302. She joined Emily Young '19 as the only student-athletes in program history to eclipse 300 career points as Young graduated with 312 points.
- Pyon and Reinard both totaled three goals and one assist as Lam added two goals and one assist.
- Julianne Flusche collected five draw controls and two goals while Gwen Flusche produced four draw controls and two goals.
- Vien compiled 13 saves, three groundballs, and one caused turnover.
- This was the third year in a row the Engineers faced the Beavers in the title game and the victory marked their first postseason win against Babson.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will learn the location and its opponent for the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Championship when the tournament field is announced in a selection show on Monday, May 5 at 10:30 AM Eastern on www.ncaa.com.
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