KEENE, N.H. – Lola Smith and Lola Varricchione combined for 11 goals for the Keene State College women's lacrosse team on Tuesday night against Worcester State University, with Smith scoring a new career-high of seven goals and Varricchione tying her career-high of four as the pair led the Owls past the Lancers, 13-8.

Records

• Keene State: 8-2 (2-0 LEC)
• Worcester State: 5-6 (0-1 MASCAC)

How it Happened


Both teams traded a goal over the opening 3:14 of the contest as WSU took a 1-0 lead 31 seconds into the contest, but Lola Smith scored her first goal of the contest shortly after to tie the game back up for the Owls. Both teams traded goals again over the next few minutes to tie the game up at two as the Lancers scored a man-up goal to retake the lead, but Amethyst Phelps assisted Lola Smith's second goal of the game soon after to tie the game up once again. Lola Varricchione scored a pair of goals for the Owls over the next three minutes to double up the Lancers, but with 2:10 remaining in the first, Hannah Erickson pulled within a goal for the Lancers as they tried to tie the game up soon after, just as the Owls had done previously. KSC held WSU off the board the rest of the quarter as Mabelle Bessette, the Owls' goalkeeper, made a save, while Varricchione added her third goal of the game on a free position attempt in the closing seconds to put KSC ahead 5-3 heading into the second quarter.
 
Lola Smith opened the second quarter with a pair of goals in the first five minutes of the second quarter, including a man-up goal from Tess Brown, while Bessette saved a free position shot in goal and the Owls jumped to a 7-3 lead. WSU tacked on a goal with 8:22 in the opening half on a free position goal from Mckayla Fisher, but it was the only goal that the Lancers scored in the second quarter as Bessette saved the only other shot on frame the rest of the half. Despite Cadence Oleniak saving a pair of shots in goal for the Lancers the rest of the half, the Owls were able to end the half by scoring two goals, just as they started the half. Chase Gengras inched closer to the 100-career point mark with a free position goal for her 96th career point and the first of the two goals, while Varricchione added another free position goal shortly after to put the Owls ahead 9-4 heading into the second half.
 
Bessette opened the second half with a save in net for KSC, leading to Payton Guntulis picking up the ground ball and Lola Smith scoring her fifth goal on the other side of the field shortly after. Oleniak saved the next two shots on goal from KSC in the quarter, and the Lancers cut the Owls' lead to four with 3:55 remaining in the quarter as WSU scored a pair of goals over a 40 second span late in the third. After the pair of Lancers' goals, KSC called a timeout and it completely halted any momentum that WSU was building as Lola Smith responded with goal number six of the day with just two seconds remaining in the quarter on a free position attempt, to put the Owls ahead 11-6 heading into the final 15 minutes of action.
 
WSU once again tried to start to mount a comeback at the beginning of the fourth quarter, after Erickson scored a man-up goal 5:01 into the quarter, following three saves in goal from Bessette. But KSC again did not allow it to happen, as the Smith sisters scored a goal apiece later in the quarter. Hayden Smith scored a free position goal and Lola Smith won the ensuing draw control and then scored her seventh goal of the game for KSC to give the Owls a 13-7 lead with 4:07 remaining in the contest. KSC held on to the victory at the end of the day despite the Lancers' man-down goal later in the quarter as the Owls avenged their 17-14 loss to the Lancers last season with a 13-8 win on the day.
 
Inside the Crease

• With the win, KSC improves to 1-3 in the all-time series against the Lancers.
• Lola Smith led the way with a career-high of seven goals in the contest as she tied her career-high of seven points.
• Smith moves to 98 career points after the seven-goal performance on the day.
• Varricchione tied her career-high for goals in a game as she recorded four goals, with a pair being free position goals.
• Brown tallied team highs on both caused turnovers, with four, and draw controls, with three, to go with her two assists.
• Bessette made 12 saves on 20 shots faced for a 60 SV%, while Oleniak saved seven shots on 20 shots faced for a 35 SV%.

 
Up Next

Keene State returns to action at the Owl Athletic Complex for their next contest as they host the Western Connecticut State University Wolves on Friday, April 4, at 6:00 PM.
Worcester State University will next play at home against Western New England University on Thursday, April 3, at 6:00 PM for their next contest.