Thirteen-goal run rallies Wheaton women's lacrosse past Smith, 18-9

April 21, 2007

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's lacrosse overcame a 5-3 halftime deficit with the first 12 tallies of the second half to down Smith College, 18-9 on Saturday in each team's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular season finale on Keefe Field.

The Lyons are 4-11 overall and 3-3 in the conference. By tying for third place in the final regular season standings, Wheaton is among the top three for the eighth straight season. The Blue and White will play in a NEWMAC Tournament first round game on Wednesday at a site and time to be determined, while Smith is 4-9 and 1-5 and will be the sixth seed.

After Wheaton sophomore Madeline Williams (Annapolis, MD/Key School) scored the first goal of the game after just 27 seconds, Smith countered with four straight and eventually held a 5-2 lead behind a hat trick from junior Sara Smyth (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep Country Day). However, sophomore Abbie Sherwin (Rye, NH/Portsmouth) tallied 5:53 before halftime to bring the Lyons within 5-3, and Wheaton rattled off an additional 12 consecutive goals to begin the second frame, blanking the Pioneers for a total time of 25:28 during the 13-0 run.

The Blue and White scored seven times in 4:19 during the early portion of the latter period, as junior Meredith Hurd (Bath, ME/Hyde School) tallied three of those and assisted on a fourth. Sherwin and sophomore Caitlin Grant (Walpole, MA/Walpole) finished off hat tricks during that run, and the Lyons led by a 15-5 count after sophomore Bridget Thornton (Southington, CT/Cheshire Academy) and Grant scored 25 seconds apart midway through the half. Smith received goals from freshmen Michelle Walsh (Northampton, MA/Northampton) and Carolyn Whiting (South Orange, NJ/Columbia) at 15:24 and 13:02, respectively, to end the dry spell and make it 15-7, but Thornton scored two of the final five goals.

Grant and Thornton each finished with career highs of four goals, while Grant tacked on a pair of assists. Hurd also scored four goals and had an assist, while Sherwin tallied three times. A trio of Lyons each scored once, while junior Alexa Jurczak (Davidsonville, MD/Miss Porter's School) made 11 saves in her first college game as a goalkeeper. Smyth scored four goals for Smith, and five teammates scored once apiece. Junior goalie Sara Smith (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep Country Day) turned aside 26 shots.

SCORING: 1st 2nd Final
Smith (4-9, 1-5) 5 4 9
Wheaton (4-11, 3-3) 3 15 18

Cumulative Scoring:
Goals: WC- Caitlin Grant 4, Meredith Hurd 4, Bridget Thornton 4, Abbie Sherwin 3, Brittany King, Simone Safyer, Madeline Williams; SC- Sara Smyth 4, Rebecca Capute, Amelia Maturo, Emily Riff, Michelle Walsh, Carolyn Whiting

Assists: WC- Grant 2, Hurd, Williams; SC- Whiting

Goalie Saves: WC- Alexa Jurczak 11; SC- Sara Smith 26

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