In a game which had postseason implications on the line as well as a playoff atmosphere, the No. 18 Assumption University women's lacrosse team fell to No. 13 Pace by a 15-9 score on a cold and blustery Wednesday night at Pace Stadium.
Pace (12-4, NE10 9-3) got on the scoreboard first and never trailed in the opening half. Jolie Urraro had a highlight-reel marker by scoring a no-look marker to make it 3-1 with 10:07 on the clock, and a tally by Angelina Porcello less than a minute later forced the Greyhounds to take a timeout. The Setters continued to stay ahead and carried a 6-3 advantage into the second frame.
Even though the team was down a player, Assumption opened the scoring when junior Jenna Joseph (Longmeadow, Mass.) found a cutting Lauren Jakobs (Naples, Maine) from behind the net to make it a two-goal game at 13:35. A fast and tightly-contested game between the two teams ensued, as the Greyhounds continued what would be a 3-0 run with senior Allie Collins (Natick, Mass.) coming up with some big saves on the other end. A neutral zone turnover led to a goal by junior Isabella Jackson (Medway, Mass.) that slashed the deficit to one, and the visitors trailed 9-6 at recess.
Assumption possessed the ball more to start the second half, but it didn't result in additional goals on the scoreboard. Pace outscored the Greyhounds by a 5-0 margin during the third quarter, which was capped by a Kayla Conway marker with 20.6 seconds left, and took a commanding 14-6 advantage heading into the final frame.
Sophomore Grace Chicko (Londonderry, N.H.) got the visitors on the board in the early stages of the fourth quarter in an attempt to commence another comeback effort. However, the Greyhounds would come no closer than six. A top-shelf goal on a free position by graduate student Alison Foley (Walpole, Mass.) sealed the final outcome.
Urraro and Porcello scored five goals apiece to lead the offense for Pace, which clinched the right to host a quarterfinal match in the upcoming Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. Jaimie Bell registered a game-high three caused turnovers, and Kate Laico stopped nine shots to earn the win in net.
Joseph factored into three goals by scoring once and adding two assists for Assumption, which was outshot by a 39-24 margin. Foley, Jackson, and Chicko each netted two goals apiece, while senior Cassie Palmisano and junior Taylor Degeorge (Feeding Hills, Mass.) each caused two turnovers. Collins, who made nine saves in first half and 14 overall, took the loss between the posts.
Assumption (9-7, NE10 7-5) will conclude the regular season when it hosts Southern Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
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