NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Regis College took the lead in the first quarter, but a strong second period for Norwich University allowed the Cadets to pull ahead and eventually defeat the Pride, 18-10, Wednesday night in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's lacrosse match at Sabine Field.
Isabella Beane (Marlborough, Mass.) and Abbie Doheny (Lunenburg, Mass.) both notched hat tricks with three goals apiece, while Mia Rogers (Revere, Mass.) collected her first two career goals. Doheny also led the Pride with five ground balls and four caused turnovers, and Regis goalie Grace Heffernan (Winchester, Mass.) finished with 10 saves.
Three of Heffernan's saves came in the first four-and-a-half minutes of the match as it remained scoreless until Doheny scored with 6:34 left in the first quarter. After Michaila Furchak scored exactly three minutes later to tie the contest at 1-1, Beane converted a free position attempt to put the Pride back on top, 2-1, heading into the second period.
Norwich (2-1, 1-0 GNAC) scored all four second quarter goals, including three goals in a span of 1:49 late in the period to give the Cadets a 5-2 halftime advantage. Doheny scored early in the third quarter to bring the Pride within two, but Norwich rattled off three unanswered goals to extend its lead to five at 8-3.
Regis attempted to battle back thanks to goals by Beane and Brielle Kendrioski (Guilford, Conn.), her first career tally, but goals by Allison Sturgeon and Hailey Lafaille in the final two minutes of the third period increased the Cadet advantage to six at 11-5. The Pride pulled to within four midway through the fourth quarter on goals by Morgan Pero (Hartford, Vt.) and Rogers, but Norwich scored the final four goals of the match to clinch the victory.
Sturgeon led the Cadets with four goals, while Maddie Etherton ended up with three goals and three assists for a match-high six points. Along with two goals and two assists, Furchak collected seven ground balls and caused three turnovers, and Norwich goalie Maeve Noble-Lowe made eight saves in the winning effort.
Regis College (1-3, 1-1 GNAC) will host Emmanuel College Saturday, Mar. 19, beginning at 12 p.m. at Regis Stadium.