Lasell Women's Lacrosse edges Wheaton in season opener

NEWTON, Mass. – Senior Taylor Yandow (Moretown, Vt.) scored five goals and added an assist Saturday afternoon to lead Lasell College past Wheaton College, 15-13, in a non-conference women's lacrosse game at chilly Grellier Field.

Yandow, who also collected a game-high seven draw controls and three ground balls, led a balanced scoring attack for the Lasers (1-0) as junior Jordan McComb (Cumberland, R.I.), sophomore Sam Taylor (Hanover, Mass.) and freshman Kellie Matthews (Walpole, Mass.) tallied three goals apiece. They helped turn the tables on Wheaton, who knocked off the Lasers in last year's game, 12-4.

Senior Katie Peters (Medway, Mass.) led all scorers with six goals and one assist for Wheaton (0-2), while also grabbing a team-high six draw controls. Sophomore Lilly Callahan (Wilbraham, Mass.) added three goals for the visitors.

Lasell had the upper hand most of the first half, using a three-goal spurt by Matthews, Yandow and Taylor to take a 4-1 lead after 11 minutes of play. The teams traded goals over the next 12 minutes until Peters tallied back-to-back goals for Wheaton to cut the margin to 6-5 late in the half. Both teams tacked on a goal in the final two minutes of the half, sending the squads into the break with Lasell leading, 7-6.

After the Lasers opened the second half with consecutive goals by Matthews, McComb and Taylor to open up a 10-6 advantage, Wheaton came alive with five unanswered goals over the next nine minutes. Peters tallied three markers in the rally with Callahan and sophomore Kyra Schwartzman (Kennebunk, Maine) adding one each, giving the Lyons their first lead of the day, 11-10, with just under 14 minutes remaining.

Lasell answered with a streak of its own, as Matthews, Yandow and McComb scored consecutive goals to take back the lead for the Lasers, 13-11, with 8:31 to play. Wheaton would not go down easily, coming back with goals by Callahan and Peters to even the score at 13-apiece with six minutes remaining.

McComb tallied what would be the game-winner for Lasell with 2:41 on the clock, and Yandow added an insurance goal with 1:29 to play to clinch the victory.

Lasell will be home again on Tuesday, March 6, hosting Gordon College in a non-conference affair at Grellier Field at 3:30 p.m. Wheaton returns home to host Keene State College in a non-conference matchup Friday, March 9, at 3:00 p.m. 

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