Women’s Lacrosse Battles Elements, Rivier in Saturday Matinee

WESTON, Mass. – In a match that featured two lightning delays totaling over 90 minutes, Rivier University rallied to defeat Regis College, 14-11, Saturday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's lacrosse match at Regis Stadium.

Kylee Marley (Westerly, R.I.) scored a season-high six goals to lead the Pride, plus she led all players with nine draw controls. Abbie Doheny (Lunenburg, Mass.) finished with four groundballs, three draw controls, and three caused turnovers, and goalie Grace Heffernan (Winchester, Mass.) made eight saves during the match for the Pride.

Caitlin Newell scored the first goal of the match to give Rivier an early lead before Marley tied the contest 33 seconds later and started a 4-1 Pride scoring run to give them a 4-2 advantage. After Newell scored again late in the first quarter to bring the Raiders within one, Marley answered again 22 seconds later, and then Madeline Conover (West Newbury, Mass.) and Marley scored just 21 seconds apart early in the second quarter to extend the Regis lead to 7-3.

Rivier tallied four unanswered goals midway through the second period, with Sarah Lachance and Tara Saliany scoring just eight seconds apart to tie the match at 7-7. After the first lightning delay with 3:33 remaining in the first half, Regis retook the lead on goals by Mia Rogers (Revere, Mass.) and Marley 10 seconds apart right before halftime.

After Marley scored 65 seconds into the third period, Rivier rattled off three straight goals, with Rachel Hinkley's tally tying the match at 10-10. Marley converted a free position attempt 18 seconds later to put the Pride back on top, but Newell earned her third goal of the match off an assist by Hinkley to bring the Raiders back into a tie at 11-11, where the match stood when the second lightning delay commenced.

Rivier seemed to gain the momentum upon resumption of play, as Lachance set up Abby Nadeau for a goal with 24 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Raiders scored twice in the fourth quarter, while the Pride could not convert on any scoring chances the rest of the afternoon.

Hinkley finished with four goals and two assists while Newell also scored four goals and Lachance earned four assists for the Raiders. Chiara Skeels caused six turnovers to lead the Rivier defense, and goalie Lindsey Kruger made 14 saves, including five saves in both the second and third periods to keep her team close before it put together its comeback.

Regis (2-9, 2-6 GNAC) travels to Daly Field in Brighton to face Simmons University Tuesday, April 12, starting at 7 p.m. Rivier (3-8, 2-7 GNAC) hosts NVU Lyndon Tuesday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m.