Women’s Lacrosse Outlasts Emerson, 16-15

Women’s Lacrosse Outlasts Emerson, 16-15 | https://nicholsathletics.com/

By Mid Massachusetts News Reports

Mar 17, 2023

Behind 10 combined goals coming off the sticks of Hadley Houghton (five) and Mackenzie Doran (5), the Nichols women's lacrosse team prevailed over Emerson, 16-15, in a highly contested Thursday evening non-conference affair at Vendetti Field. The Bison, fresh off of a 22-0 win over NVU-Lyndon the night prior, advance to 2-0 (0-0 CCC) on the season, while the Lions dropped to 1-1 (0-0 NEWMAC).

Nichols trailed Emerson by a score of 5-4 after the opening 15 minutes. Three separate goal scorers struck for the Bison, as Houghton scored two, and Madison Robichaud and Emma Patton each tallied one in the opening frame.

Trailing 6-4 in the beginning of the second quarter, the Bison offense put together a 4-0 run over a 2:32 span to take an 8-6 lead over the visitors. The Lions would respond with two goals of their own to tie the contest at 8-8 with just 1:05 to play. Despite the clock winding down towards triple zeros, Mackenzie Doran beat the buzzer with the final goal of the half to put the Bison up 9-8 at the break.

Emerson once again found twine on a pair of shots at 13:21 and 12:56 of the third quarter to regain a one-goal lead. Jump-started by two goals in a 2:18 span for Houghton, the Bison strung together yet another four-goal swing to retake the lead, 13-10. Paige Alexander capped off the run with a goal with 6:31 remaining in the third to put the Bison up by three at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth, the Lions continued to chip away at their deficit, outscoring the Bison 5-3 in the final period. Hannah Breck scored with just 47 seconds to play to cut Nichols' lead to just one. Despite the momentum going in the direction of the Lions, Houghton would seal off a stellar day on draw controls for the Bison with her 11th of the outing to seal the 16-15 victory.

McKenzie Muir followed right behind Houghton with 10 draw controls of her own.

Seven separate Bison recorded at least one point in the victory.

The Bison controlled the draw in a major way, coming away with 25 draw controls to the Lions' 5. Nichols outshot the Lions, 27-23 while also going 16-for-22 on clearing attempts. Emerson recorded eight failed clears (18-for-26) in the defeat.

Nichols will return to the friendly confines of Vendetti Field on Monday, March 14 in the finale of a three-game homestand, facing off against SUNY Purchase at 5:00 p.m.