KEENE, N.H. – After the Keene State College women's lacrosse team allowed seven goals in the opening quarter of action, they were unable to mount a comeback as they eventually fell to the Western Connecticut State University Wolves, 14-8.

Records

• Keene State: 8-3 (2-1 LEC)
• Western Connecticut: 10-1 (3-0 LEC)

Highlights
Postgame Interview (Coach Wyant)

How it Happened
The first quarter was all Wolves as WCSU scored seven goals over the opening 15 minutes of play, while not allowing KSC to tally a goal. Samantha Paredes and Morgan Brace each tallied a pair of goals to help contribute to the seven from the wolves. Two of the Wolves goals came on man-up opportunities, while another pair came on free position goals as WCSU took their 7-0 lead into the second quarter.
 
The Owls started to try to mount a comeback early in the second quarter as Riley Devine weaved through the Wolves' defense and scored a pair of goals, 3:04 into the quarter. Lola Varricchione scored a man-up free position goal a minute later as the Owls cut the Wolves' lead down to four. After entering r in goal for the Owls with 4:35 in the first quarter, Katelyn Nicotera saved the first six shots from WCSU in the second quarter, but she was unable to make a seventh as Madison Ratchford scored her 40th goal of the season for the Wolves with 3:05 remaining on the clock in the opening half. Devine and Varricchione both tallied another point shortly after as Devine assisted Varricchione's second goal of the game to bring KSC within four. With just a second remaining on the clock in the opening half, Savannah Kom's slow dribbler was misplayed by Nicotera and found the back of the net for the Wolves as WCSU took a 9-4 lead into the second half.
 
Both teams traded a goal in the opening 1:13 of the second half with a goal as Anna Maccarini scored a free position goal for KSC and Ratchford scored a man-up goal for the Wolves as WCSU doubled up KSC, 10-5. The rest of the quarter was controlled by the Wolves, as Brace scored another pair of goals and WCSU took a 12-5 lead into the final quarter of action.
 
Nicotera saved three of the first four shots in the final 15 minutes of action from the Wolves, but Isabella Pota's goal put the Wolves up 13-5 over KSC. The Owl tried their best to mount a comeback the rest of the way by scoring three goals with Tess Brown scoring the first of the two goals and Varricchione assisting Chase Gengras on the third of the three with 3:38 remaining. The rest of the way, WCSU tacked on one more goal from Pota as the Wolves held on for the 14-8 victory over KSC.
 
Inside the Crease

• With the loss, KSC falls to 21-10 in the all-time series between the two teams. KSC has lost the eight most recent meetings between the two teams.
• Varricchione and Devine each finished with a team-high of three points from a pair of goals and an assist apiece.
• Maccarini finished with a game-high of three caused turnovers, while Devine and Brown each recorded a pair each, as well.
• Gengras inched closer to the 100-career mark as she reached 97 career points after her goal on the day.
• Nicotera made 13 saves in net for the Owls on the day in her 49:35 of play, while Molly Bresnahan made eight saves and allowed eight goals in net for the Wolves.

 
Up Next


Keene State round their three straight games at home against Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, April 9, at 6:00 PM.
Western Connecticut also returns to action on Wednesday, April 9, but at 4:00 PM as the Wolves will host Rhode Island College.