BOSTON, MASS. -- Simmons Lacrosse (1-1) picked up their first win of the 2013 season with a 21-11 rout of the University of Saint Joseph Blue Jays (0-2) in the opening of Great Northeast Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon.
Simmons freshmen Greer Gilbert (Falmouth, Mass.) and Hannah McGoldrick (Newton, Mass.) scored five goals apiece and senior Rachel Wallace (Braintree, Mass.) added four more to pace the Sharks to victory.
The Sharks took the lead just 26 seconds into the game with an unassisted goal by freshman Ashley Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.). Erika Leitao scored her first of three goals in the first half to tie the game with 26:00 remaining in the half. Gilbert netted her first at 22:13 to again give the Shark the lead and Sheehan added her second just over a minute later. Dayna Gambino buried a shot past Simmons goalkeeper Kelly Last (West Haven, Conn.) to cut the Sharks lead to one but Simmons scored four straight goals to take a 7-2 lead.
The Blue Jays fought back, with goals by Francesca Mastria, Eliza Doane and Leitao but the Sharks offense took control with goals by Stephanie Oliveri (Waltham, Mass.), Callie Warnock (Kingston, Mass.) Wallace and McGoldrick to give the Sharks a 11-6 lead at the half.
In the second half, Simmons scored five straight goals as Oliveri found McGoldrick driving to the net twice and Wallace fed McGoldrick her third straight goal of the half. Gambino beat Simmons goalkeeper Crystal Derosier (Kingston, Mass.) three times in the second half but it was not enough as the Sharks scored ten goals in the second half to defeat the Blue Jays, 21-11.
Kelly Last picks up the win for the Sharks with six saves on 14 shots while Brianna Tenore takes the loss with seven saves on 22 shots. The Sharks held an advantage in ground balls 24-10 and draw controls, 23-9 while the Blue Jays held an edge in turnovers, 17-22.
Simmons returns to action at home on Monday, March 18th vs. Massachusetts Maritime at 3:30 p.m. in a reschedule game from March 12th.