Seahawks play even in second half with defending champs

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Senior Callie Murphy (Woburn, Mass.) recorded seven points, just one shy of her career high, to lead Endicott College to a 15-7 victory over Salve Regina University in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's lacrosse action at Gaudet Field. Endicott improves to 11-2 (6-0 CCC) while Salve Regina falls to 3-11 (0-7 CCC).

The first half was controlled by the Blue and Green as they outscored Salve 9-1, led by Murphy who posted three while junior Kirsten Thor (Longmeadow, Mass.) hit two. Endicott was able to score seven straight goals on the Seahawks before they answered back in the final 5:40 of the half.

To start off, Thor and Murphy scored a pair of goals in the opening minutes. At 18:20 junior Ellie Clayman (Beverly, Mass.) made it a three goal game after she found the back of the net on a free position shot. Thor followed with her second goal of the night along with two more from Murphy as the Gulls took a 6-0 lead by the 12 minute mark.

Junior Siri Mason (Williamstown, Mass.) recorded her ninth goal of the season on a free position shot. Finally at 5:40 the Seahawks answered back after senior Grace Kelly (Auburn, N.Y.) slipped the ball past junior goalkeeper Ryan Socolow (Westford, Mass.). To wrap up the half senior Rachel Campos (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and junior Issabelle Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.) each tallied a goal to take Endicott into halftime with a 9-1 lead.

The second half was a bigger battle that saw both sides at a stalemate with six goals each. Clayman drew first as she scored her second goal of the game in the opening seconds of the half. Eight minutes later Murphy recorded her fourth goal of the game on an unassisted play to make it a 10 goal game.

Salve Regina fired back with back to back goals from sophomore Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.) and junior Mary-Ashley Donelan (Upton, Mass.) as they cut down the lead to eight. Endicott answered right back by scoring four straight goals.

The first came from freshman Emily Whitney (Rye, N.H.) followed by Murphy's last goal of the game off a crisp pass from Clayman who made the assist. At the 12 minute mark Sipperly tallied her second of the game on a man-up opportunity while freshman Emily Cutting (Ferrisburgh, Vt.) tallied her fifth goal of the season to finish the Gulls scoring spree and hit the last goal of the game for the Blue and Green.

The Seahawks fired back with four straight goals in the last four minutes of regulation but it would not be enough as Socolow was solid in net making five saves in the 15-7 decision, improving to 11-2 on the season.