Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth had an answer for every Eastern Connecticut State University surge, outscoring the Warriors by three in the second half to post a 14-13 Little East Conference women's lacrosse victory that halted the Warriors' five-game winning streak Saturday afternoon at Cressy Field.
The win is the first for UMass Dartmouth (6-5, 2-1 LEC) over Eastern (7-5, 1-1 LEC) since April of 2004, a stretch of 14 straight losses. The one-goal loss is the second this year for Eastern, which is 2-2 in matches decided by three or less goals. The Corsairs improved to 5-1 at home this year, playing and winning their first one-goal decision. It was the first one-goal decision in this series in 15 years.
UMass Dartmouth snapped the seventh and final tie with consecutive goals from Colleen Kane and Catrina Longo 1:20 apart inside the final two minutes, to take a decisive 14-12 lead with 1:28 left. Sophomore attack Katie Burke's (South Windsor) second goal of the second half – her 27th of the season -- cut the margin to one with just under a minute left. Junior midfielder Caroline Regan (Niantic) won the ensuing draw, but the teams combined for five turnovers over the final minute, neither able to put a shot on net.
The Warriors received two high-powered performances, as junior All-LEC midfielder Paige Schneider (East Lyme) and freshman attack Michelina Pinto (Groton) each potted five goals. Pinto was also a difference-maker at midfield, collecting five draw controls, and Schneider collected seven ground balls. Schneider improved her team-leading goal total to 34.
More than two goals separated the teams only once, with junior defender Devyne Doran (South Kingstown, RI) and Pinto closed out the first half that gave the Warriors a two-goal lead, and Pinto began the second half scoring with her fourth of the game in the first 90 seconds that made it 8-5. The Corsairs answered with four of their own as the Corsairs re-gained the lead, 9-8, with 18 minutes left.
Kane paced the Corsair offense, registering five goals and two assists. Junior Catrina Longo added four goals to go along with a pair of assists, while sophomore Leah Douty buried a hat trick, all in the second half.
Eastern junior Taylor Emmerson (Colchester) turned aside nine shots in the loss, while freshman Kaitlyn Burchill submitted her sixth double-digit save effort of the season to backstop the Corsairs' second win in three games.
Eastern hosts Western Connecticut Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in a Little East Conference match.
