Buccaneers win Program Best Seventh Game in MASCAC Opener

Buccaneers win Program Best Seventh Game in MASCAC Opener

FITCHBURG, Mass – Saturday marked the first day of MASCAC play for women's lacrosse as they traveled to Fitchburg State University to take on the 1-6 Falcons. The Buccaneers left Fitchburg with their sixth win in a row and seventh on the season. The seventh win is the team's best mark in program history beating last year's total of 6 win.

The Buccaneers were led by freshman Alyssa Blumenthal (Braintree, Mass) with a game high four goals and an assist. Sophomore Anna Deely (Marstons Mills, Mass) scored three times in the game and won nine draw controls. Captain Erica Overstreet (Bridgewater, Mass) and team leading scorer Casey Sullivan (Sagamore Beach, Mass) each scored two goals in the game. Sullivan added two assists to her score line. Junior Cammi Balentine (Havehill, Mass) scored one goal on the day. Freshman goalie Laura Kleber (Westport, Mass) faced 20 shots on the day and saved 11 of them, allowing the nine Fitchburg goals.

For Fitchburg, Tracey Long tied for the game high with four goals on the day and had an assist. Five other players scored for the Falcons in the game, including Sarah Mallahan who scored once and had two assists. Goalie Marguerite Belcher faced an on slot of 32 Buc shots and made 20 saves while allowing the 12 goals.

The Bucs took and early 2-0 lead on goals by Deely and Overstreet. Over the next two minutes though, the Falcons scored three to take a 3-2 lead. Deely tied the game back up at three apieace with just over 20 minutes left in the first half before Fitchburg regained the lead on a Long goal. That would be the last lead Fitchburg would have in the game as the Bucs scored five unanswered goals, three from Blumenthal, to finish out the first half. The teams went in to the locker room with the Bucs leading 8-4.

In the second half, the Falcons outscored the Buccaneers 5-4 but it wasn't enough. To open the second half of play, Overstreet and Sullivan extended the Bucs unanswered streak to seven goals taking a 10-4 lead. Fitchburg broke the scoring drought with two goals to cut the deficit to four. The teams traded goals over the next three minutes and Maritime was up 12-7 with 15 minutes to play. In the final 10 minutes, the Falcons made a push scoring the final two goals of the game, including one a man up after Sullivan was sent to the penalty area. But, the Bucs shut down the Falcon offense in the final five minutes to earn the 12-9 Conference victory, their sixth win in a row and they program best, seventh win of the season.

Up next for the Bucs is a home conference game against Worcester State on Friday, April 5th at 7pm at Clean Harbors Stadium.