Buccaneers Cap off Regular Season with a Convincing, Record Breaking Win

Buccaneers Cap off Regular Season with a Convincing, Record Breaking Win

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – The Buccaneers hosted Salem State in the final regular season game for both teams, which was also senior day for Buccaneer Erica Overstree (Bridgewater, Mass), on Taylor's Point. Though both teams were already sitting in a playoff spot a win or loss either way would have flip flopped the teams. At the end of 60 minutes, the Bucs pulled out a convincing 16-5 win to clinch the five seed in the MASCAC playoffs next week. Also, with the win, Maritime improved to 9-7 on the season, marking the highest win total by a team in program history and marked the first winning season in program history.

For the Bucs, sophomore midfielder Casey Sullivan (Sagamore Beach, Mass) scored six goals and had an assist in the game. Her sixth goal of the game was a big one as it marked her 100th career goal in a Maritime uniform and also marked her second 50 goal season in as many years. Scoring four goals in the game was Anna Deely (Marstons Mills, Mass). Deely also won 10 draw controls and caused a turnover. Senior captain Erica Overstreet (Bridgewater, Mass) scored three goals on senior day and had two assists. She picked up nine ground balls as well for the hosts. Freshman attacker Alyssa Blumenthal (Braintree, Mass) scored once in the game but racked up six assists, tying former Buc Steph Hunt for most assists in a game, and broke her own record for most assists in a game by a rookie which previously stood at four. Junior Cammi Balentine (Havehill, Mass) and freshman Nora McLaughlin (Quincy, Mass) each scored a goal and had an assist. Defensively, the Bucs cause 16 turnovers with four having been cause by Jennifer Leung (Quincy, Mass), three by Coreen Carley (Brentwood, N.H.) and Amanda Gould (Bourne, Mass), and two by McLaughlin. Three other players each caused one turnover. In goal, freshman Laura Kleber (Westport, Mass) faced 14 shots, made nine saves and allowed the five Viking Goals.

The Vikings were led by Rose Sullivan (Charlestown, Mass) and Tara McLaughlin (Woburn, Mass), who each scored twice in the game. Freshman Suzanne Stefanik (Dalton, Mass) scored the fifth goal for Salem. Defensively, Sullivan caused a game-high five turnovers while Shayla Inglis (Lowell, Mass) cause three. In goal, starter Gianna DeNisco (Peabody, Mass) faced 13 shots, made six saves and allowed seven goals. In the second half, Trisha MacLean (Medford, Mass) came in in relief and faced 13 shots, making four saves and allowing nine goals.

Blumenthal opened the scoring for Maritime three minutes in to the game on a free position shot to take a 1-0 lead. The Buc lead grew to 3-0 over the next several minutes on goals from Sullivan and Balentine. Salem got on the board with 20 minutes left in the first half on McLaughlin's first goal of the day. The Buccaneers scored three unanswered over the next minute of play on goals from Overstreet, Deely and McLaughlin, taking a 6-1 lead with 15 minutes left in the half. Each team scored once more, McLaughlin, with seven minutes left, for Salem, Sullivan, with just over a minute left, for Maritime, before the halftime whistle. At the break, the Bucs had a commanding, 7-2, lead.

In the second half, Sullivan scored twice in the first five minutes to give the Bucs a 9-2 advantage. Overstreet and Deely, on a man down goal, would each score before Salem found the back of the net again. Down 11-2, the Vikes scored on a free position shot by Sullivan. Now 11-3, Maritime again went on a five-goal unanswered run which included two Deely goals. With under five minutes to play, Salem State scored twice more, both times on free position shots, one of which was in a man up situation to cut the score to 16-5, which would be the final score of the game.

The Buccaneers await the final scores of the Westfield State v Fitchburg State and Worcester State v Framingham games to see where they will travel on Tuesday, April 30th for the first round of the 2019 MASCAC Women's Lacrosse Playoffs.