Wellesley, Mass. - March 29, 2017 - Behind a career-best seven goals from junior midfielder Kayla Schroeher (Riverhead, N.Y.), the Springfield College women's lacrosse team cruised to a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)-opening, 15-8 victory over Wellesley on Wednesday afternoon at the Wellesley Turf Field.

With the win, Springfield College evens its record out at 4-4 and picks up its first conference win of the year, while the Blue is now 3-3 on the year and 0-1 in league play. The Pride held a narrow 24-21 advantage in shots over 60 minutes of play, while also converting 8-of-12 free position chances on the afternoon. Wellesley scooped up 17 ground balls compared to Springfield College's 16, but the Pride held a 14-11 edge in draw controls.

Along with seven points from Schroeher, junior attack Shelby Corsano (Bourne, Mass.) also notched three goals and one assist to push her season total to 25 points, a team best. Corsano also posted a team-best four draw controls in the contest, while senior goalkeeper Gabby Anderson (Mahopac, N.Y.) made six saves in between the pipes. Coming in for the final 4:35 was freshman keeper Brenna Keefe (Acton, Mass.), who picked up her first-collegiate save on Wednesday afternoon.

Leading the Blue was Olivia Strobl (Stafford, Va.) and Lena Engbretson (Beaverton, Ore.), who combined for five goals in the setback. In net, senior goalkeeper Wendy Nettleton (La Jolla, Calif.) made six saves in 60 minutes of play.

Springfield College got on the board first when Corsano found the back of the net just 2:56 into the contest, before Schroeher picked up her first two in a span of 4:34 to give the Pride an early 3-0 lead. Junior Kristen Steidler (Somers, Conn.) picked up her fifth goal of the season on an assist from Corsano with 18:26 left in the half, before Schroeher completed her first-half hat trick 4:08 later with her third of the game.

From there, Wellesley rattled off five-consecutive goals, including two from Strobl and one from Engbretson to make it 5-5 with 3:24 to play in the first half, but Schroeher would finish a free-position chance to send the Pride into the locker room with a 6-5 lead.

Corsano and Schroeher scored back-to-back goals to open the second half, giving the Pride and 8-5 lead, before the Blue pulled back to within a pair on Engbretson's second of the game. Up 8-6 with under 20 minutes to go, Springfield College scored four-straight goals, including markers from Schroeher, Corsano, Ann Mahoney (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and Amanda Nusbaum (Conway, N.H.) to take a commanding 12-6 lead.

Junior Julia Bireley (Franklin, Mass.), Schroeher and Taylor Kane (Woburn, Mass.) would all find the back of the net with under 6:30 to play to seal the 15-8 win for the Pride.

Up next, Springfield College will hit the road on Saturday, April 1, when it takes on MIT in Cambridge, Mass. at 1 p.m.