By Zack Downing, Staff Writer
The women’s lacrosse team arrived at Salem State with senior Catrina Longo on the verge of 100 career goals, and Longo was ready to deliver.
The Corsairs opened with a 5-0 lead in the first half of the match, outperforming Salem State in defense and offense. Longo scored two of the first four goals, and before the half was over, found the net one more time to both register a hat trick and net her 100th goal as a Corsair.
Despite the large lead, the game was far from over. With only five minutes remaining in the first half, Salem State fired three balls into the net to make the score 6-3 at halftime.
Salem’s momentum continued, and suddenly the score was tied 6-6 in the second half. Longo kept pushing and scored two more goals, but the Vikings scored two in response. It was 8-8 when the clock stopped, and the game went into overtime.
The first overtime period was actually scoreless, but Catrina Longo scored the game winner in second overtime, winning the game 9-8 and getting her second hat trick in only the single game.
Their next match was another away contest against Salve Regina. This time it was junior Leah Douty who would lead the team with five goals. The match was close in the opening minutes, with a 3-3 tie, but the Corsairs burst forth with five straight goals to enter halftime with an 8-3 lead.
Coming out of the half, UMass kept on pounding with three more goals to pull to 11-4. The Salve Regina Seahawks weren’t done, as the second half saw them score six more points. However, the revival wasn’t enough, and the Corsairs won 14-10.
UMass Dartmouth continued their road trip by visiting the Fitchburg Falcons. Catrina Longo opened the game up with a score, then following a rebuttal goal from the opponent, the Corsairs scored two more to gain a 3-1 lead.
Six minutes passed without a score, then the Falcons scored three goals in under four minutes to overcome the deficit.
The halftime score was 5-4 Fitchburg, and they would continue their comeback momentum with four of the next five points scored in the second half, including two in under 90 seconds by the Falcons’ Kayla Panek.
The Corsairs defense struggled in the second half, and despite scoring twice at the very end, lost the match 12-8.
The team returned to Cressy Field to face a tough Plymouth State crew, a school that the Corsairs haven’t beaten in women’s lacrosse in nine years. Plymouth came out of the gate with three goals in five minutes, and it looked like the team would continue their dominant streak over the Corsairs.
Junior Erin Kish scored a goal to try to stunt their momentum, but Plymouth then put four straight into the net to jump out to a 7-1 lead.
The first half ended with 9-2 on the scoreboard, and the Panthers were looking as strong as ever. The Corsairs found the back of the net in under a minute to begin the second half, but Plymouth again scored three straight to extend their lead. UMass Dartmouth didn’t have the juice left to catch up, and the final score was 15-5, Plymouth State.
Their next home game is Tuesday, April 18 against Western Connecticut.