Seahawks sail past Corsairs in second half

DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth senior Sam Muir produced a season-high six goals, but it wasn't enough as visiting Salve Regina University bookended the halftime intermission with a 6-1 run to post a 20-11 NCAA Division III women's lacrosse victory this afternoon at Cressy Field.  The Seahawks raised their overall record to 2-1, while the Corsairs slipped to 1-2 on the campaign. 

Muir paced the UMass Dartmouth attack with six markers and a team-high six draw controls, while sophomore Bella Mancini registered three goals and an assist for the hosts.  Freshman Beatriz Tavares recorded her first collegiate goal and sophomore Hannah Niemi added a goal and three draw controls.    

Junior Kaity Doherty led Salve Regina with a season-best seven points, on five goals and two assists, while senior classmates Maddie Villareal and Stefanie Salisbury each penned five markers into their ledgers.  Sophomore Stephanie Szelest contributed three points (2-1) and picked up five draw controls, while freshman Kathryn Mullin notched a tally.  Sophomore NIcole Smith dished out three helpers, won a game-high eight draw controls, and caused three turnovers.

The Seahawks built an early 2-0 advantage just three minutes into the first half, but Muir cracked the scoring column for the Corsairs on a free position shot to cut the deficit into half.  Both teams exchanged markers before Tavares and Mancini scored 28 seconds apart to knot the contest at 4.  The visitors used a mini 3-1 surge to push the advantage to 8-6, but Mancini responded with an unassisted tally to trim the deficit to 8-7 with just under seven minutes remaining in the period.  Salve Regina strung together three consecutive goals to extend its lead to 11-7, but Muir answered with 11 ticks on the clock to enter the intermission trailing 11-8.  

Salve Regina methodically extended its advantage over the opening 14 minutes of the second half, scoring five of the six goals to balloon the lead to 16-9.  UMass Dartmouth attempted to stem the tide with back-to-back tallies, but the Seahawks regained their momentum and closed out the contest with four unanswered markers to post the non-conference victory. 

In between the pipes, junior Christina Myers played the full 60 minutes and reached double digits in saves with 12 to earn the victory, while her counterpart, senior Bridget Harrington, recorded eight stops on the afternoon.