NEWTON, Mass. – Emmanuel College used a balanced scoring attack Wednesday afternoon to hand Lasell University its first loss of the season, 21-10, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's lacrosse contest at Grellier Field. 

Emmanuel wins its season opener (1-0) in impressive fashion while Lasell drops to 1-1.

The Saints had five players who scored three goals in the game, and two others who had two goals. Senior Emily Saef (Moultonborough, N.H.) led the way with three goals and four assists, along with a game-high 12 draw controls, while junior Chandra Franca (Woburn, Mass.) added three goals, two assists and four draw controls.

Senior Elizabeth Fortier (Newburyport, Mass.) and juniors Lincoln Hamblett (East Boothbay, Maine) and Jessica Borduas (Woodbury, Conn.) were good for three goals and one assist apiece for the Saints, with Fortier collecting seven draw controls. Sophomores Megan Steele (Auburn, Maine) and Ali Bergin (Newbury, Mass.) chipped in with two goals each and junior Madeleine Beem (Windham, Maine) contributed a goal and two assists.

Graduate student Jordan McComb (Cumberland, R.I.) and junior Sydney Brady (Westfield, Mass.) led the Lasers with four goals apiece, with McComb also accumulating seven draw controls, four ground balls and three caused turnovers.  Junior Sophie Fistori (Dartmouth, Mass.) and freshman Teresa Kessner (Brentwood, N.Y.) scored once each for Lasell, with Fistori also causing three turnovers.

Emmanuel had a huge advantage by controlling 23 of 33 draws, which led to a 43-22 margin in shots.

Lasell had a 4-3 lead approaching the midway point of the first half, but the Saints offense came alive and outscored the home team 9-2 over the next 16 minutes to take a 12-6 lead into halftime. McComb score the first goal of the second half, but Emmanuel fired in the next seven goals over the next nine minutes to open up a 19-7 advantage, and Lasell never recovered.

Junior Emma Crowley (Peterborough, N.H.) made seven saves to earn the win for Emmanuel, while Lasell alternated goalies with graduate student Morgan Choquet (Woonsocket, R.I.) and junior Devin Zambruno (Plympton, Mass.) combining for 14 stops.

Lasell will be home again next Wednesday, March 31, hosting Johnson & Wales University in a GNAC contest at 4:00 p.m.  Emmanuel will host Johnson & Wales in its home opener this Saturday, March 27, at 3:00 p.m.

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