Box Score

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England Nor'easters raced out to a 7-0 lead and never trailed in a 17-9 women's lacrosse victory over the New England College Pilgrims in The Commonwealth Coast Conference play Tuesday afternoon.

The Nor'easters won for the second straight outing to improve to 4-7 overall, 2-3 in TCCC play.  NEC dropped its third consecutive decision to fall to 3-7, 2-3 in league games.

UNE would get off to a strong start, scoring seven straight goals in the opening 15:41.  Ashley MacDonald '08 (Billerica, Mass.) and Carlie Brigham '09 (Derry, N.H.) each notched a pair of tallies to aid the cause.

NEC responded by scoring four consecutive times to slice the deficit to 7-4.  The Nor'easters reclaimed momentum by finishing off the first half with three goals.  UNE helped build its lead by scoring five free-position goals.

The second half would see the Pilgrims get as close as four (12-8) when Emily Kuchta '11 (Norwalk, Conn.) converted a Jodie Dresser '09 (Keene, N.H.) pass with 42:40 elapsed, but the Nor'easters reeled off a string of four goals to pull away.

MacDonald and Amanda Barker '09 (Gloucester, Mass.) each scored five goals to lead the way for UNE.  Brigham finished with four.  Goalie Jackie Price '10 (Billerica, Mass.) played a strong match, turning away 12 shots.

Dresser and Kuchta had three goals apiece for the Pilgrims.  Casey McFarland '09 (Webster, N.H.) offered a strong all-around performance with a match-high seven ground balls to go with four draw controls and three caused turnovers.  Alexandra DiRico '10 (Limerick, Pa.) recorded nine saves.

The Nor'easters will look to make it three straight wins Thursday when they head to Gordon College for a night game (7:00 p.m.).  NEC plays a non-league match at Smith College that same day.

(posted April 8, 2008 | 18:54 ET)