Sawyer set's single game mark for assists, points as Owls drop Pilgrims 20-8
KEENE, N.H. 4/4/11 – Senior midfielder Lauren Sawyer (Westbrook, Maine) had a record setting game with 10 assists and 13 points, as the Keene State College women's lacrosse team dropped in-state rival New England College 20-8 at rainy Owl Athletic Complex on Monday afternoon.
"The past few games we have faced some real tough defenses," said Sawyer. "Today everyone moved well without the ball and took advantage every time we had an open shot."
Sawyer's 10 assists breaks her own single-game record of nine assists set last year against Colby Sawyer. For points in a game, Sawyer's 13 points tied Ryan Curran's mark set back on April 14, 2000 against Salem State.
KSC (4-4) jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first half capped by freshman midfielder Ashley Borjeson (Londonderry, N.H.) goal at the 12:30 mark.
The Pilgrims (2-6) answered back with two unassisted tallies from senior midfielder Amanda Kennedy (Tewksbury, Mass.) to cut the lead to 9-2.
Owl sophomore midfielder Lauren Brown (Agawam, Mass.) added two unanswered goals before the half to give KSC a 12-3 lead.
In the second half, KSC continued to apply pressure, outscoring the Pilgrims 8-5, as Sawyer tallied five more assists in the stanza. The record-breaking assist came with 5:24 left in the game on Brown's fifth goal of the game.
Saywer tallied three goals to total 13 points and also had five draw controls in the game. Brown also tallied six points on five goals and an assist for the Owls. Junior midfielder Sammi Benson (Hampstead, N.H.) tallied four goals for KSC off the bench.
Kennedy led the way for New England College with three goals on the game. Senior attack Emily Kuchta (Norwalk, Conn.) scored twice for the Pilgrims, while speedy junior midfielder Amanda Naime (York, Maine) had 11 groundballs and five caused turnovers in the losing effort.
Owl goalkeeper Erin Taylor (Brewster, N.Y.) made eight saves and allowed five goals in over 49 minutes of action for the win, while junior goalie Alyssa Marinaccio (Narragansett, R.I.) played the final 10-plus minutes making two saves. Pilgrim netminder Caroline Doherty (Miller Place, N.Y.) played well making 16 saves, including 13 in the first half in the losing effort.
Keene State outshot NEC 40-25 in the contest, and won 20-of-30 draw controls in the victory.
The Owls, who have won three in a row, will head down to Eastern Conn. State on Saturday for a key Little East Conference tournament game starting at 1 p.m. "The goal is to play our conference tournament games at Keene State," said KSC head coach Katie Arsenault. "To host the tournament we have to go down there and win so we will take the next few days and prepare for a tough game."
New England College plays next on Wednesday against Anna Maria at 4 p.m.