By Nicole Belair, Staff Writer
UMass Dartmouth’s women’s lacrosse team opened their season last weekend against the Johnson & Wales Wildcats.
The Saturday game marked the first-ever meeting between the Corsairs and Wildcats in women’s lacrosse.
Despite a 4-3 Corsair lead into the break, the Wildcats blew past UMass Dartmouth in the second half with a final score of 16-4.
The Wildcats scored the game’s first two goals within the first seven minutes, but the Corsairs were able to silence the momentum when Catrina Longo, scored off a pass from Erin Kish. Kish scored back-to-back goals midway through the period, the first on a free position and the second assisted by Raquel Riley.
With just a few minutes Sam Muir made her first collegiate goal and increased the Corsairs’ lead to 4-2. However, the Wildcats’ Juliana Giello tightened the scoring at 2:14, gaining one back for her team right before the half. Once the second period began, it was all Johnson & Wales.
The hosts quickly retook the lead seconds into the half. In just two minutes, Lydia Knapp and Giello put Johnson & Wales back on top 5-4. The scoring streak continued, accumulating thirteen total goals in the second half.
A career-high six goals from Catrina Longo, however, lifted the Corsairs to their first win of the season at home on March 1 against the Emmanuel Saints.
The first period was a back-and-forth between the two teams, trading goals until Longo found Muir for the shot at 14:42, putting the Corsairs up 3-2. Longo scored a second time six minutes later off a pass from Erin Kish.
Emmanuel responded with a three-goal streak late in the first, stealing a 6-5 lead at the end of the half.
The Corsairs controlled the start of the second period, as Longo scored three of her six total goals back-to-back in the opening five minutes and gaining a two-point advantage for her team.
The Corsairs found the cage four more times in the second half, and Emmanuel answered with three additional goals late in the period. However, Kish squashed any chance of a Saints comeback with her third goal.
It was a strong day for Longo as she bettered her previous career-high five goals, which she reached on two separate games last season. Kish had three goals and an assist on the day. Kathryn Gibb and Taylor Hill also recorded their first goals of the season, with first-year, Sam Muir, collecting her second score.
The Corsairs nearly doubled their offensive output on Saturday, firing 31 shots (25 on goal) as opposed to their season opener when they only totaled 18.
The Corsairs traveled to Mass Maritime on Sunday for their third game of the season and took a 15-10 win over the Buccaneers.
UMass Dartmouth got the scoring going early, with Gabby Giangrande’s first goal of the season just minutes in. The next ten minutes were slow for scoring, until Giangrande found the cage again at 20:07.
Mass Maritime responded with two goals several minutes later, but the Corsairs dominated the first half with four more goals by Catrina Longo, Raquel Riley, Giangrande, and Erin Kish.
UMass Dartmouth headed into the second half with a four-point advantage over Mass. Maritime with a score of 6-2. Kish collected her seventh goal of the season with an assist by Longo. Longo then scored goal number nine for the season at 25:19 with an assist by Giangrande. The Corsairs scored seven more times throughout the rest of the period, compared to Mass Maritime’s eight.
Women’s lacrosse currently holds a record of 12-1 at this early stage of the season.
Looking ahead, the Corsairs will host Saint Joseph’s College on Saturday at 1 p.m., and will head to Curry College after spring break for a 4 p.m. game on March 23.