Newton, Mass. – The Lasell College women's field hockey team won their first North Atlantic Conference game of the season, defeating Rivier University 4-3 in double overtime. The Lasers are now 3-4 on the year, and 1-2 in the NAC, while Rivier dropped to 1-6 overall and 0-2 in the NAC.
Ainsley Thompson, Francesca Ceppetelli, and Samantha Smithers each scored goals for Lasell, while Rivier got a pair of goals from Presleigh Skelley and a marker from Lindsey Couture in the NAC matchup. Makenize Flagg finished with six saves and Colleen Albert stopped 12 shots in goal for Rivier, while Lasell's Cassie Aviles finished with five saves on the day.
The host Lasers took a 2-0 lead in the first half, using a deflection to score their first goal, and when Thompson took a pass from Kate Fabri and fired it past Flagg it sent Lasell into the break with a 2-0 lead.
Presleigh Skelley opened the second half with a pair of goals for Rivier, pulling the guests level with 29 minutes remaining. Ceppetelli scored on a beautiful pass from Fabri to give Lasell a 3-2 lead in the 47th minute, but the hosts were unable to hold the edge, when Lindsey Couture evened the score at 3-3 with 20 minutes to play.
After a scoreless first overtime period left the two conference foes deadlocked, Laser Sam Smithers scored the game winning goal 52 seconds into the second overtime.
Lasell will return to action on Friday when they host Thomas College in a NAC match-up at 3pm.