Women's Lacrosse wins program debut 14-6 over Mitchell College

Courtesy of Mitchell Athletics

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's lacrosse team dropped its season opener by a 14-6 final to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Tuesday night in non-conference action at Connecticut College's Silfen Field.

In its inaugural season at the varsity level, MCLA (1-0 overall) picked up the first win in program history thanks to big nights from Rebecca Pike (Troy, N.Y./Shaker) and Natalie Caney (Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown). Pike finished with six goals and a game-high seven draw controls while Caney added five tallies and an assist. Alexandra David (Lowell, Mass./Pelham) made one save in goal as the Trailblazers held a commanding 35-9 edge in shots. 

Ashley Murtha (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor) led Mitchell (0-1 overall) with four goals and an assist while Tiana Fillmore (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) netted a pair of scores. Taylor Dansereau (Griswold, Conn./Griswold) made her first career start in goal for the Mariners and recorded nine stops.

The Trailblazers won the opening draw and wasted little time taking the lead, as Caney connected for the first goal in program history just 47 seconds into the contest. Over the next 16 minutes, Kaitlyn Brown (Adams, Mass./Hoosac Valley), Caney and Pike each tacked on two goals apiece as the MCLA lead swelled to 7-0 with 13:30 to play in the first half.

Murtha finally put the Mariners on the scoreboard with 10:42 to go on a free-position shot. However, the Trailblazers scored the final four goals of the stanza—once again behind the offense of Brown, Caney and Pike—to lead 12-1 at the break.

Mitchell scored the first three goals of the second half to trim the deficit to eight. Fillmore notched her first career goal in the opening moments and added her second just over two minutes later.

MCLA never let the lead dip below eight as Pike contributed a pair of goals over the next five minutes to keep her team comfortably in front. The game ended with 11:25 remaining due to player safety concerns (extreme cold and wind).

MCLA won 14 of 21 draw controls in the contest and held a 20-5 advantage in ground balls. Caney scooped up a game-high seven ground balls and also caused four turnovers.

Mitchell will next host Green Mountain College on Saturday, March 21 at 3 p.m. MCLA returns to action at Becker College on Thursday, March 19 at 4 p.m.