Merrimack Women Upset No. 8 Dowling
from press release
OAKDALE, NY – Mia Basile (Longmeadow, MA) scored four goals and added two assists, while Jamie-Lee Whiteway (Billerica, MA) made eight saves, including five free-position stops and one with two seconds remaining, as the Merrimack women’s lacrosse team opened its season with an 11-10 victory over #8 Dowling Friday afternoon.
Dowling cut the lead to 11-10 with 1:57 to play, but Maria DeStefano (Eliot, ME) earned the draw control off the faceoff, and Merrimack looked like it would run out the clock. But the Warriors turned it over and were whistled for a foul in their own zone with two seconds to play, setting up a free-position shot to tie the game.
But Samantha Titus’ shot was high of the net, and the Warriors prevailed with the season-opening victory, the first opening-day victory under head coach Corinne Baker.
Merrimack trailed 5-1 early, but scored seven unanswered goals, including five in a 5:06 span, to take an 8-5 lead at halftime. Mia Basile scored three first-half goals, including the final two goals of the half, while Colleen Strachan (Boxford, MA) added two. Maddie Basile (Longmeadow, MA) dished out two assists, while Whiteway had seven first-half saves.
Merrimack extended its lead to 10-6 in the second half behind goals from Maddie Basile and Kelly Pasquantonio (Plainville, MA).
Dowling (2-1) cut the lead to two with 10:54 to play, but Mia Basile answered with her fourth of the game, set up by Maddie Basile. Cassandra Cronin responded for the hosts 45 seconds later, cutting the Warrior lead to 11-9 with seven minutes to play. Cronin then fed Brooke Witkowski with 1:57 left, reducing the lead to one and setting the stage for the possible tying goal that was foiled on the free-position shot.
Dowling, who suffered its first loss of the season, struggled all game on the free-position shots, making just two in seven opportunities.
Mia and Maddie Basile combined for nine points, while Strachan and Pasquantonio netted two goals apiece. Liz Lyons (Westwood, MA) had a game-high seven ground balls.
Merrimack (1-0) continues its season-opening three-game road trip, opening conference play on Thursday at #10 Stonehill at 3 p.m.
