SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Women's lacrosse pulled away from Bryant in the second half in a back-and-forth affair to win its first game of the season by a score of 18-8 on Wednesday night.
Four goals in the third quarter and another eight in the fourth were enough to pull away from the Bulldogs. Leading 7-6 at the half, Harvard outscored the Bulldogs 12-3 after the break.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Crimson jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter thanks to goals from Hannah Shiels, Tori Balser, and Emerson Midura. Tori Balser netted two in the quarter, with one of them coming off a beautiful free-position look.
Despite allowing the first goal of the game, Harvard responded with goals 42 seconds apart to take the lead thanks to Balser and Shiels.
Bryant pushed back in the second to 4-3 before Natalie Marvin added her second goal of the season to put the Crimson back up by a pair. With 3:06 left in the half, Harvard once again only led by one as the Bulldogs refused to go away.
Natalie Marvin added her second of the evening after streaking down toward the net off a feed from Cecelia Batchelder to once again double the lead, but Bryant was able to pull within one right before the half.
Coming out of the break, Charlotte Hodgson wasted no time adding her third goal of the season. Winning the opening draw, Hodgson found herself with tons of green grass as the senior made her way toward the goal untouched to double the lead again.
Shortly after the Hodgson strike, Grace Mullahy buried a feed from Callie Batchelder to give Harvard its biggest lead since the first quarter as Mullahy's first of the year put the Crimson up 8-5.
The Bulldogs wouldn't back down late in the third quarter after adding a pair of goals to make it 9-7. Callie Batchelder responded on a free-position shot to net Harvard's 10th goal of the game.
The Crimson continued to pile it on throughout the fourth quarter, adding another eight goals while the Bulldogs only managed to get one past Arpano.
GAME NOTES
- Callie Batchelder added seven points after four goals and three assists. It marks the third time in her career that the junior has recorded seven points in a single game.
- Charlotte Hodgson finished with three goals and three assists for six points, while Grace Mullahy added five after two goals and three assists. Tori Balser also added four goals as the key group of offensive returners for the Crimson combined for 13 goals and nine assists.
- Natalie Marvin added a pair of goals as the rookie has three goals in her last two games.
- Lexie Koch led the way on the draws after recording four wins on the evening.
- Six different Crimson defenders recorded a caused turnover.
NEXT UPÂ
Harvard plays the University at Albany on Saturday at noon.Â
