CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Top-seeded and nationally ranked No. 24 MIT outscored No. 4 seed Babson College, 9-1, in the first half before going on to defeat the Beavers, 17-5, in the semifinals of the NEWMAC Women's Lacrosse Championship on Wednesday night. With the win, the Engineers will be making their fourth straight appearance in the title game and fifth overall.
Ashley Thomas generated two goals and five assists for MIT, helping her break the program record for points in a season as her tally of 125 eclipsed the mark of 123 which she set in 2024. Tatum Sands posted two goals and one assist to lead Babson.
THE BASICS:
- Score: No. 24 MIT 17, Babson 5
- Records: No. 24 MIT (15-3 Overall); Babson (11-7 Overall)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- MIT scored the first five goals of the game with three occurring during the first quarter. Alexis Reinard put the Engineers on the board courtesy of a free position goal at the 10:50 mark and then she set up Gwen Flusche midway through the frame. Annica Lam increased the hosts' cushion after connecting on a pass from Thomas with one minute remaining.
- Thomas was a factor in the next two goals as she earned an assist on a blast by Nina Petulla and followed this up with a free position goal with 11:38 on the clock in the second quarter. Margaux Boneu ended the shutout 24 seconds later with a player advantage goal that was set up by Jen Austin. MIT responded with four answered goals as Flusche and Lam alternated the tallies to enter halftime with a 9-1 advantage.
- Babson found the back of the net 2:38 into the second half when Sands buried a player advantage goal on a pass from Lilly Bedard. The Engineers replied with four goals in a row, moving the score to 13-2. Petulla, Flusche, and Thomas each converted their free position attempts while Reinard redirected a feed from Petulla. Sands ended the scoring drought on pass from Grace Rooney with 1:12 left in the period.
- Sands carried the momentum into the fourth quarter as she found Jenna Wong for a player advantage goal after 49 seconds expired. MIT put together another four-goal burst, capped by a player advantage goal from Sophia Loiselle that was set up by Maeve McGinnis with 1:42 to go. The Beavers recorded the final goal of the night, a player down blast by Bedard with 20 seconds remaining.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Flusche totaled five goals, eight draw controls, four groundballs, and three caused turnovers as Reinard finished with two goals, three assists, and two groundballs.
- Lam posted four goals as Petulla notched two goals, one assist, and five draw controls.
- Loralei Quinn generated three groundballs and two caused turnovers while Mairin Anderson registered five draw controls and two caused turnovers.
- In net, Pauline Vien made 10 saves in 55 minutes as Molly Dulde closed out the game with one save.
- Bedard had one goal and one assist while Mackenzie Cassler and Courtney Laden both recorded two caused turnovers and two draw controls.
- Francesca Tamburini produced two saves and one groundball in 22 minutes, Valentina Erigoyen followed with one save in 13 minutes, and Morgan McGahan notched two saves and two groundballs down the stretch.
UP NEXT:
- MIT will host No. 2 U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the NEWMAC Championship game on Saturday, May 2 at 1:00 PM. This will be the second postseason meeting between both programs. The Engineers defeated the Bears, 16-6, in the semifinals in 2023.
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