Lacrosse Team Opens Season

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – University of Saint Joseph junior Erika Leitao (Southington, Conn.) and sophomores Rachel Foster (Newington, Conn.) and Dayna Gambino (Newington, Conn.) scored three goals apiece, but the Wentworth Institute of Technology defeated USJ 13-9 Thursday night at Central Conn. State University.

The game was the season-opener for the Blue Jays. Wentworth evened its record at 1-1.

Wentworth senior Liv Gardner (Westford, Mass.) had three goals and an assist and freshman Pam Mudge (Pembroke, N.H.) scored three times for the Leopards.

Wentworth scored the first three goals of the game as Lisa Piccirillo (Islip, N.Y.), Jessica Houghton (Billerica, Mass.) and Mudge had tallies to put the Leopards up 3-0, the third of which was while Wentworth was down a player, 6:17 into the game. Foster then scored the first goal of the season for USJ 10 seconds later.  

Wentworth never trailed, but the Blue Jays kept it close. Three times Saint Joseph was able to get within goal in the first half, the final time at 8-7 on Foster's third goal of the half. But Mudge scored her third goal with 38 seconds left in the half to put Wentworth up 9-7 at halftime and the Leopards maintained a 2-3 goal margin throughout the second half.

Mirela Baric (Burlington, Verm.) scored two goals for Wentworth; Haley Tufano (Farmington, Conn.) and Eliza Doane (Suffield, Conn.) each had an assist for Saint Joseph and Leitao picked a game-high four ground balls. Wentworth outshot Saint Joseph, 40-25.

Saint Joseph is at Simmons Sat. March 16 at 1 p.m. and next plays home Wed. March 20 against Norwich at 4 p.m.