Women’s lacrosse falls in battle for MASCAC title

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST

By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams lengthened their postseason run with wins during the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds before losing in the MASCAC Championship game. In the first round of playoffs, the team hosted the Fitchburg State University Falcons. The Rams made a name for themselves early on with a win against the Falcons 21-6 in the quarter finals. Two goals each came from seniors Hailey Baker, Captain Molly Lanier, junior Alessia Lye, and freshman Emma Kendzulak. Freshmen Madeline Bosma and Gabby Foster, and sophomore Nicole Sheehan each contributed a goal. Additionally, junior Kelley DeBellis netted three goals, and Captain Leah Green, a senior, scored a whopping seven. Defensively, the Rams held Fitchburg to only six goals, preventing them from scoring any during the second half. This win advanced the Rams to the semifinal round, for which they traveled to Westfield State University May 1. The match was set to be a close one, as just weeks prior, the Owls beat the Rams 16-6. Westfield was first to the net, scoring twice in the first quarter while the Rams lagged behind. The second quarter wrapped up with a score of 3-3, FSU tying the game with three goals from Lanier, two of which were assisted by Baker and DeBellis. The deadlock remained as both teams scored twice during the third quarter - Framingham’s goals scored by Baker and Green. Green scored on a free position shot and a pass from DeBellis during the fourth. A third goal came from Lanier on an assist from Baker. At the end of the fourth quarter, the score stood tied at 8, sending the game into overtime. Westfield won the draw control and in the following minute, sent a shot that flew high over the net. Following a clock violation by the Owls, Framingham took the ball down the field. With just 41 seconds to go, Lye fired a pass to Baker, who netted the ball for the game-winning goal, ending the match 9-8. Bosma said the team’s success during the match came from staying focused, playing as a team, and sticking to their game plan. She said, “On offense, moving the ball quickly and looking for open shots worked well. On defense, good communication and rebounding made a big difference.” The championship-bound Rams traveled to Worcester State University to face off for the title against the top-seeded Lancers May 3. This game would mark the Rams’ second year in a row appearing in the finals. The first goal of the game came when Worcester scored just over 3 minutes in. FSU battled back in the following minute, with Baker assisting Captain Maggie Grout, a senior. Bosma, Lanier, and Green also scored during the first quarter, Green’s and Bosma’s each resulting from a free position shot. Worcester, however, outscored the Rams 5-4 and pulled ahead with a lead after the first quarter came to a close. Bosma, Kendzulak, and Grout all scored during the second quarter. WSU matched them goal-for-goal. At the close of the half, the Lancers were only up by one. Lanier, Baker, and Kendzulak all contributed goals during the third quarter. Again, the Lancers matched each Framingham goal with one of their own. Worcester pulled ahead again in the fourth quarter with two more shots hitting the back of the net. With a goal from Green on a free position shot with just two minutes left, the match came to a close with a score of 13-11 in favor of WSU. Over the course of the three playoff games, junior goalkeeper Isabella Dimare accumulated 27 saves. Freshman Sarah Lewis said, “We locked in on defense and Bella played unreal in the nets. “I think we played amazing as a team and were all on the same page, which helped us connect on our plays,” she added. Lewis said that the results of playoffs may not have been what the team had hoped for, but noted that “even though we lost in a heartbreaker, I think our win against Westfield gave us freshmen a taste of how it feels to win these big games.” On May 7, Grout and Baker were recognized as MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, respectively. Additionally, Grout and Baker, as well as Lanier and senior Kaleigh Houlihan, were chosen for this year’s MASCAC All-Conference First Team, and Green earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. Bosma said, “[Our performance] gave us confidence and showed what we’re capable of. We learned a lot and know what it takes to compete at a high level, so we’ll carry that into next season. “I hope we keep building on what we’ve started. We’ve got talent and chemistry, and I think we can go even further next year,” she added.