SALEM, Mass. -- Lily Stark (Saco, Maine) scored in the opening minutes of double-overtime to lift Lasell to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Salem State in the season opener for both squads on Thursday, September 1st at Alumni Field. The win marks the first victory for first-year head coach Jessica Paulin.
Two fourth quarter scores by Caitlyn Smith (Newington, Conn.) erased a 2-0 Lasers' deficit, forcing overtime and earning the Lasers a hard-fought win.
Isabel Mendoza (Merrimac, Mass.) staked the Vikings to a 1-0 lead late in the first quarter. Just thirty-one seconds later, Laura McVeigh (Attleboro, Mass.) doubled the lead as goalie Molly Ryan (Brimfield, Mass.) kept Lasell off the scoreboard over the first thirty minutes, despite the Lasers holding a 9-3 advantage in shots.
The two teams played through a scoreless third quarter before the Lasers began to pressure the Viking's defense, as Smith knocked in back-to-back goals with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game.
Stark had the best scoring chance in the first overtime, breaking past the defense, and finding herself all alone, but Ryan took the angle away, making the stop to prevent the game-winning goal.
Courtney Tello (Nashua, N.H.) picked up the win making eight saves. Ryan finished with 16 saves.
For their next game, the Lasers will travel to New Jersey to face Ramapo in a 3:00 p.m. match-up on Saturday.
~story courtesy of Salem State Athletics