Springfield, Mass. – April 17, 2024 – Sophomore Lily Johnson (Oceanside, N.Y.) scored less than a minute into overtime to lead the Springfield College women's lacrosse team to a 16-15 win over No. 17 MIT in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action tonight on Stagg Field.

Springfield pushed its record to 13-2 overall and to 8-0 in the league, while MIT fell to 12-3, 6-2. The Pride will welcome No. 18 Babson to Western Massachusetts on Saturday at 4:00 pm with the NEWMAC regular season title on the line. This is Springfield's first win over MIT since 2019 and first regular season win over the Engineers since 2018.

Johnson powered Springfield's offense with five goals on the night, while both Sarah Newton (Colchester, Conn.) and Izzy Lalancette (Feeding Hills, Mass.) tallied three goals apiece for the Pride. Johnson also registered a game-high five draw controls. MIT was led by Ashley Thomas and Ellie Rabenold, who combined for 13 of the Engineers' 15 goals on the night.

In net, Haley Moody (Wells, Maine) posted seven saves for the Pride including one as time expired in regulation to send tonight's game into an overtime session. As a team, Springfield held a 35-30 edge in shots, a 13-12 differential in ground balls, an 18-16 advantage in draw controls and went 16-for-18 on the clear.

MIT took an early 2-0 lead before Springfield ripped off four straight goals for the 4-2 edge just 5:18 into the game. Johnson scored back-to-back tallies to get the Pride on the board before Newton and Arielle Johnson posted unassisted strikes.

MIT responded by scoring eight of the next nine goals of the game – a stretch that lasted nearly 15 minutes – as the Engineers held their largest lead of the game at 10-5. Over the run, Rabenold scored five times for the visitors.

Out of a timeout, Springfield ripped off seven straight goals as a strike by Lily Johson evened the score at 10-10 early in the third before Maddie Roy (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Lalancette gave the Pride a 12-10 lead. MIT got one back with 5:04 left in the third, but Newton, Lilly Vey (Foxboro, Mass.) and Roy scored to open the fourth and push Springfield's lead back to four at 15-11 with 7:47 remaining in regulation.

MIT was able to force overtime with a 4-0 run thanks to three goals by Thomas including the game-tying goal with 30 seconds to play on the man-advantage. As time expired, Moody made a save at her feet to send the game to overtime.

Lily Johnson won the first and only draw of overtime ran down the field and around the cage. She took one step in front of MIT keeper Pauline Vien and buried her fifth goal of the game to send Springfield over the Engineers by a 16-15 final.

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