The No. 2 ranked LeMoyne women’s lacrosse team (14-1, 9-1) put together another pair of impressive wins this past weekend, defeating Detroit Mercy 22-7 on Friday evening and Franklin Pierce (6-8, 3-7) 20-2 Saturday afternoon at the Niland Athletic Complex.
The Dolphins extended its winning streak to 10 after losing 11-9 to No. 1 ranked Adelphi back on March 23 and have outscored its opponents 182-40 in that span.
On Friday, it was senior attacker Michelle Phillips (Maine Endwell) that had a career day, registering five goals and five assists to lead her team over Division I opponent Detroit Mercy. Senior midfielder Bekah Elmer (West Genesee) drew first blood for the Dolphins notching her 28th goal of the season on an assist from Brenna Bauer (Brighton) just 22 seconds into the contest.
Detroit junior midfielder Emily Boissonneault notched back-to-back goals shortly after to push its premature 2-1 advantage. It would be the Titans’ only lead.
The teams would trade the next five goals before LeMoyne went on a mini-run of its own with scoring contributions by Elmer, Bauer, Phillips and junior attacker Brittany Brigandi (CBA) to close out the first half 10-5. Brigandi’s unassisted goal was her 51st on the season.
The Dolphins would come out blazing in the second half, erupting for eight unanswered goals to all but put the game away.
Phillips lead the team with five goals and five assists while Elmer (four goals, three assists), sophomore Kelly Condon (three goals, one assist), Brigandi (three goals), freshman Tori Nies (three goals), Bauer (two goals, two assists), freshman Kathleen Conese (one goal, one assist) and senior Mia Valletta rounded out the offensive juggernaut.
Nies hails from Jamesville-DeWitt, Conese from Liverpool. And the local flavor continued as junior goalkeeper Kelly Fucillo West Genesee) turned away four shots on goal and converted a near-perfect 15-for-16 in clears.
Not even 24 hours later, on an overcast Saturday afternoon six LeMoyne seniors were recognized for their feats on and off the field.
And the seniors didn’t disappoint, serving up eight goals in its 20-2 victory over the Ravens of Franklin Pierce. Five of the six seniors scored in the game – Valletta, Elmer, Phillips, Leah Lazarz (Liverpool) and Kaitlin Walker (Penn Yan).
The Dolphins would get the games first four goals of the game before the Ravens would get on the board at the 24:11 mark on a Mary Kate Stille free-position shot.
After a pair of LeMoyne goals by Valletta and sophomore Gabrielle Kamide (Carthage), Franklin Pierce’s Jordan Baillargeon would get her 28th goal on the season on another free position shot. And that would be all, as the Dolphins would hold the Ravens scoreless for 46 minutes of play and go on a 14-goal tear.
Brigandi lead all scorers on the day with six goals and one assist. Valletta (three goals, one assist), Elmer (two goals), Conese (two goals), Lazarz (one goal, one assist), Phillips (one goal, one assist), Walker (one goal, one assist), Bauer (one goal), junior Stephanie Dussing (one goal), Kamide (one goal) Nies (one goal) each had a hand in the team’s 14th win on the season.
Roughly four years ago six seniors embarked on their collegiate lacrosse journey at LeMoyne. Together they endured adversity – playing three straight years as an independent contender, no conference to call home and nothing really to play for, but their pride.
In the summer after their sophomore year, there was a coaching change – enter Beth Hewitt. The Dolphins have come full circle since then, a No. 2 ranking in Division II, finding a conference home in the Northeast-10 and buying into a system that Hewitt has implemented since her arrival here on campus.
Dubbed as this year’s new kids on the block in Division II, the Dolphins are certainly not playing bullied. LeMoyne hosts American International Tuesday, April 26th at 4p.m.
