WLX: Lasell defeats Gordon in season opener

DANVERS, Mass. – Seniors Jordan McComb (Cumberland, R.I.) and Vanessa Pino (Methuen, Mass.) recorded four-point games Tuesday evening as the Lasell College women's lacrosse team defeated Gordon College, 12-8, in the season opener in a neutral site contest at St. John's Prep.

McComb tallied four goals and Pino added three goals and an assist to pace the Lasers. Sophomores Hope Earle (South Hadley, Mass.) and Kellie Matthews (Walpole, Mass.) chipped in with three and two goals, respectively, and junior Chloe Shugrue (Worcester, Mass.) filled up the stat sheet with a goal and two assists along with a team-high five draw controls, two ground balls and two caused turnovers.

The Scots' efforts were led by a pair of hat tricks from Olivia McCarrick and Greta Moore, as well as a pair of assists from Molly Guthrie and Hannah Bourk.

Junior Morgan Choquet (Woonsocket, R.I.) earned the win in goal for Lasell with 12 saves on 20 shots. Freshman Annabel Christenson made 11 saves for the Scots.

The teams traded goals for the first 11 minutes of the game before Gordon pulled ahead 3-2 on a goal by Moore with 17 minutes remaining. Lasell scored four unanswered goals in the final eight minutes of the half to take a 6-3 lead into the intermission as Matthews scored twice in the rally and Earle and Pino notched one each.

Moore scored the first two goals of the second half to pull the Scots to within a goal, but Lasell answered with four straight tallies, two in a row from McComb and two more from Earle to push the lead to 10-5. Gordon came alive with three consecutive goals to climb to within two at 10-8, but just as they did to end the first half, the Lasers scored four unanswered goals, including two from McComb and one each from Shugrue and junior Amanda DiLeonardo (West Haven, Conn.), to secure the victory.

Lasell will look to make it two in a row on Thursday, March 7, with a non-conference contest at Wheaton College (7 p.m.). Gordon returns to action on Friday, March 8 as it welcomes Smith College for a 7 p.m. start time (hosted at Endicott College).

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