Norton, Mass. – April 15, 2014 - Despite a four-point performance from senior Kelly Gallo (Westfield, Mass.), the Springfield College women’s lacrosse team fell to host Wheaton, 11-9 in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on a rainy Tuesday evening at Diane Nordin ’80 Athletic Field.

The Lyons scored the go-ahead goal with 8:57 remaining in the second half to clinch the NEWMAC regular season title, improving to 10-6 overall and 6-0 in conference play. Springfield falls to 7-7 on the season and 4-2 in the NEWMAC with the loss.

Gallo paced the Pride with four points on three goals and one assist. Junior Emily Rodgers (Durham, N.H.) scored two goals and senior goalkeeper Anne Versprille (Franklin, Mass.) turned away four shots.

Wheaton sophomore Brooke Sabol (Landgrove, Vt.) scored a career-best six tallies, including the go-ahead goal with 8:57 remaining in the second half. Allie Bush (Kennebunk, Maine) and Jenna Tewksbury (Concord, N.H.) each netted two goals, while junior Melanie Sharick (Amherst, Mass.) recorded one marker at 7:12 in the second stanza to round out the scoring for the Blue and White. Wheaton junior Katy Ananian (Belmont, Mass.) stopped six shots and picked up her tenth win between the pipes.

The Lyons collected a game-high 24 ground balls and converted 15 of 20 clears. The Pride scooped 17 ground balls and finished 13 of 17 on clear attempts. Wheaton senior co-captain Devon Soucier (Avon. Conn.) led all student-athletes with a game-high five draw controls as both teams finished with ten total.

Wheaton outshot Springfield, 23-20, and scored five free position strikes. The Pride netted four goals on six free positions.

Tewksbury initiated a 4-0 run with a free position tally at 29:16 in the opening session, but Springfield answered, scoring three of the next four goals, to pull within two tallies at intermission. The Pride registered four consecutive goals to start the second half, including two free position strikes by Gallo and senior Emily Fowler (Branford, Conn.), which provided the visitors with a 7-5 lead with 23:05 remaining.

Wheaton answered with back-to-back tallies from Sabol to tie the contest at 7-7, before Bush fired home a pass from sophomore Madison Cohen (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) off a free position attempt just inside the left post to go-ahead by one goal with 14:33 remaining.

Gallo evened the score at 8-8 with her final marker at 13:05, but Sabol helped the Lyons retain the lead for good with a free position goal, her final strike of the contest at 8:57. Tewksbury and Bush padded the Lyons’ advantage with back-to-back tallies before Wheaton’s defense halted a Pride rally late in the session.

Springfield did net its final goal with 1:12 remaining, a free position marker by sophomore Connie Neilsen (Sayville, N.Y.) before Sabol won the game’s final draw control.

Springfield will close out the regular season with two home games. The Pride will host Amherst College on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. on Stagg Field and will take on Wellesley on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the season-finale.