Springfield, Mass. – April 29, 2023 – Fueled by a tremendous second-half output, the Springfield College women's lacrosse team bested Wheaton, 16-9, in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship Quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon on Stagg Field.

As the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament, Springfield improved to 11-7 and will take on No. 2 Babson on Wednesday at 5 pm.  Wheaton, seeded sixth, had its season come to a close at 10-8.  The two teams had met just seven days prior on Stagg Field in a game where Wheaton prevailed by a 14-12 decision. 

Arielle Johnson (Woodstock, Conn.) was dynamic in leading the Pride's offense as she accounted for three goals and four helpers, while first-year Sarah Newton (Colchester, Conn.) contributed two goals and three assists.  Samantha Andresen (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) returned to the lineup and totaled two goals and two assists, while both Maddie Roy (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Jade O'Connor (Baltimore, Md.) each accounted for a hat trick.  Hannah Hibbert (Center Harbor, N.H.) was sensational with nine draw controls, and the duo of Emily McDermott (Marshfield, Mass.) and Haley Moody (Wells, Maine) split time in goal and combined for eight saves. 

For Wheaton, Brooke Harvey scored four times , Jessie Kilburn picked up six draws, and Emily Oundjian was credited with 11 saves in goal.  Springfiel held a 34-21 advantange in shots, including a 19-10 cushion in the second half, and won 17 draws, cinluding 12 in the second half. 

 O'Connor opened up the scoring at the 8:39 mark when she cut inside for a quick-stick strike off a feed from Johnson, only to have the Lyons respond 28 seconds later on a free-position strike by Avonlea LeBeau.  After Roy scored on the run at 6:31, the visitors responded with three-straight goals in a 2:25 span to push their lead to 4-2. Harvey scored twice and Kilburn capped off the scoring burst as she tucked in her shot on the run just under the cross bar with 2:36 left in the first.

Springfield scored the first two goals of the second quarter as Lauren Landino (South Windsor, Conn.) converted on the doorstep after Andresen pushed transition at 10:58 before Andresen knotted up the game at 4-4 when she turned the corner for a strike at 9:22.

Harvey would deliver her third marker of the half when she freed herself with a split dodge and blistered a shot up top at 8:39 to put Wheaton back on top, but the Pride closed out the half with the final two goals to head into the half with a 6-5 edge.  Johnson would finish off another transition feed from Andresen at 6:27 before O'Connor beat the shot clock at 4:54 off a terrific feed by Johnson.

Carlee Crispens (Wallingford, Conn.) set the tone to start the second half with her efforts on the draw as the Pride rattled off five-straight goals in the first six-plus minutes.  The scoring surge put the Pride ahead 11-5 after O'Connor struck for a man-advantage goal at 8:37, a goal which would allow her to tie the single season program record for goals in a season with 64.  However, Wheaton would make things interesting as they closed out the fourth with a four-goal run of their own, including two goals from LeBeau, to make it an 11-9 contest heading into the fourth.

Hibbert would get free down the right alley off a restart to begin the scoring in the fourth at 11:34 before Johnson and Newton would each score twice and assist on the others' goals as Springfield hung five goals in the fourth to pull away with the quarterfinal triumph. 
 
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