Buccaneers Drop Home Opener to Corairs

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – Friday night, the Buccaneer women's lacrosse team opened their 2019 campaign at home against UMass-Dartmouth at Clean Harbors Stadium. Though the Buccaneers took a 1-0 lead four minutes in to the game when 2018 MASCAC Rookie of the Year, Casey Sullivan (Sagamore Beach, Mass) scored her first of the season, the game finished in favor of the Corsairs, 12-4.

The Buccaneers were led by sophomore attacker Casey Sullivan who scored three goals on three shots on goal. Senior captain, Erica Overstreet (Bridgewater, Mass) scored the only other goal for the Bucs and added an assist on one Sullivan goal. As a whole, the team took 28 total shots, 14 on target. Freshman attacker, Alyssa Blumenthal (Braintree, Mass) collected a game and team high eight ground balls for Maritime. Attacker Anna Deely (Marstons Mills, Mass) led the team and was tied for game high with two caused turnovers and won a game high nine draw controls. Freshman goalie, Laura Kleber (Westport, Mass) made 10 saves on 22 shot in her collegiate debut.

The Corsairs received four goals, the game high, from attacker Sam Muir (Sturbridge, Mass). Muir took an astounding 13 total shots, nine of which were on target and also collected eight ground balls, tied for the game high. Dartmouth freshman attacker Hannah Niemi (Fairhaven, Mass) and senior attacker Brooke Scahill (Gales Ferry, Conn) each added three goals of their own. Scahill also assisted on three other goals while also winning seven draw controls. Head Coach, Olivia Coakley played two goalies, splitting the time between senior captain Kaitlyn Burchill (Bridgewater, Mass) and junior Bridget Harrington (Florence, Mass) who each played a half. Burchill made six saves on eight shots, Harrington only saw five shots and saved three.

The Bucs opened the scoring four minutes in to the game on Sullivan's first goal of the afternoon. Casey added another with 17 minutes left in the half which game the Bucs a 2-1 lead halfway through the first half. The goal that was scored by Dartmouth came between Sullivan's two scores when Scahill scored her first of the season. Muir scored her first 30 seconds after Sullivan's second to tie the game back up at two apiece. The Buccaneers did not find the back of the net the remainder of the first half but, the Corsairs would net three more, courtesy of Scahill, Muir and Brooke Martel (Haverhill, Mass). At the break, the Bucs trailed 5-2.

In the second half, the Buccaneers once against controlled the game for the first five minutes. Sullivan scored her third, Overstreet scored her first and the Bucs were back within one with a lot of time left on the clock. But, the Dartmouth defense stood strong and kept their hosts from scoring again but netted seven second half goals of their own, including Niemi's three scores. When all was said and done, the Corsairs sailed back to Dartmouth with a 12-4 season opening win.

Next up for the Buccaneers is the Maritime Classic, hosted by Massachusetts Maritime, Friday, March 8^th through Sunday, March 10^th. The Buccaneers will open the 2019 edition of the tournament with a Friday night faceoff with Maine Maritime Academy at 7pm.