By Izabela Gage
Sports Editor
The women’s lacrosse team defeated the Wheaton College Lyons 10-7 in their home opener March 9.
This win brings their early-season overall record to 1-2.
After losing the MASCAC Championship game last year, the team is hopeful for redemption.
Goalkeeper Bella DiMare, a junior, said the experience was heartbreaking but also “a huge motivator for us. Our main goal is to get back there and finish the job this time. We know we have the talent and work ethic.”
Attacker Maddie Bosma, a freshman, said the team’s biggest goal is to make a statement in the postseason. “We know we have the talent and chemistry to compete at a high level, so it’s about staying focused, improving every game, and playing as a unit.”
She added, “It’s really motivating to come into a team that had so much success last season. Knowing that they made it all the way to the championship game makes us want to work even harder to get back there and win it this time. There’s definitely a high standard already set. … It pushes all of us to give our best effort every day in practice and games.”
At the start of the game, midfielder Kelley Debellis and Wheaton’s Gabs Smart lined up at center field for the first draw.
Despite Wheaton taking possession of the ball, Framingham did not relent, and less than 2 minutes into the game, Captain Molly Lanier, a midfielder, netted the first goal of the game.
Debellis won the next draw, and Lanier found her way back to the net once again, but shot wide.
Attacker Alessia Lye picked up the ground ball mere seconds before defender Lindsey Cox was given a green card, giving the Lyons possession of the ball.
Framingham received another foul 47 seconds later, and Wheaton took advantage of a free position shot to tie up the game 1-1.
The Rams didn’t wait to take the lead back. Twenty-four seconds later, attacker Hailey Baker positioned herself behind the goal and passed the ball to Debellis, who sent the ball to the top left corner of the net from the 8-meter arc.
Defender Kaleigh Houlihan caused a turnover by Wheaton, but Framingham unfortunately lost possession soon after, and Wheaton was able to tie up the game.
Captain Leah Green, an attacker, and Emma Kendzulak, a midfielder, both tallied shots on goal, which were saved by Wheaton’s goalkeeper, Jenna Langan.
With another Wheaton turnover caused by Lanier, Houlihan picked up the ground ball and ran it downfield into the offensive zone. Lanier took another shot in hopes of finding the back of the net for her second time, but the shot was wide.
The first quarter ended with a ground ball pickup by Baker, but the Rams were unable to set up any offensive opportunity before the clock ran out.
The Lyons won the first draw control of the second quarter, but Houlihan caused another turnover, and Debellis grabbed the ground ball.
After attempting to find an opening on the net, the ball was sent out of bounds, giving Wheaton possession.
At 10:56, defender Lily Malloy, a freshman, earned a free position shot that was saved by Langan.
The Lyons then had the ball in their control, but a turnover returned it to the Rams, with Baker picking up the ground ball 14 seconds later and netting a goal to take the lead 3-2.
Bosma widened the lead to 4-2 with her first NCAA career goal after a turnover caused by Houlihan.
Framingham did not let up on offense, with Lanier taking a shot on goal that was saved by Langan, but Green picked up the ground ball.
Langan stopped her next shot, but was unable to hold off Green’s relentless offense as she made another attempt to net the ball and finally broke through Langan’s defense.
The Rams ended the second period with one last shot from Debellis that was stopped by Langan.
Lanier gained possession for the Rams after winning the first draw in the third quarter.
After a turnover by DiMare, the Lyons tried to close the point gap but could not find a way past DiMare’s defense.
A minute later, Wheaton remained in the offensive zone and was able to score their third goal of the game.
The Lyons did not let up and found the back of the net again to close the deficit to only 5-4 in favor of the Rams.
Both DiMare and Langan remained attentive, and each stopped all five shots sent toward them before they reached the goal line. Debellis once again won the draw control at the start of the fourth quarter. After both teams fought for the ground ball, Lanier finally picked it up and sprinted down the middle of the field before sending a shot to the left side of the net, bringing the score to 6-4. Only 40 seconds later, Lanier found the back of the goal once again to extend the Rams’ lead to 7-4. Despite the Rams having a 3-point lead in the fourth quarter, Lanier’s contributions didn’t end. Less than 2 minutes later, she netted her third goal of the quarter, assisted by Baker. Wheaton tried to keep up with the pace and sent the ball into the goal past DiMare into the net. After 4 turnovers from the Rams and 2 from the Lyons, Kendzulak netted her third NCAA career goal in her first three games played as a freshman. The Lyons were still determined despite the end of the game nearing closer and were able to slip the ball past DiMare’s stick. With only 45 seconds left in the game, Bosma brought the Rams to a double-digit score, netting her second career goal and ending the game 10-7. Lanier said, “With a low-scoring game, we are working on finding more ways to magnify our strengths on offense and use everyone’s specific strengths to our advantage.” DiMare tallied 12 saves on 19 shots on goal. She said she has been focusing on “staying composed in the net and making sure my communication with the defense is strong.” In the Rams’ 14-10 loss against the Plymouth State University Panthers March 5, Lanier contributed 2 goals and reached 100 NCAA career points. Lanier said she tries not to look at her stats but remains “focused and determined” to help the team succeed. She added, “I had no idea I was going to hit it so soon, so I was super excited about it.” Lanier said, “I can’t thank my teammates enough because without them, I wouldn’t have been able to have as much success in the record books as I have had.” Houlihan and Lanier were named MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week and Offensive Player of the Week, respectively. Houlihan said, “It's a recognition of the hard work and effort I've put in, but it also pushes me to continue improving. Knowing that I can make a significant impact on the field encourages me to stay focused, keep building on my skills, and work even harder for the team.” Lanier said going forward from receiving this accolade, “I’m super excited to see what’s coming next. Without my teammates, I wouldn’t have been able to score or do anything offensively.” DiMare said she is impressed with how the freshmen are adapting. “It’s always an adjustment coming into a new environment, but they’ve been eager to learn and bring a lot of energy to the team.” Houlihan said, “Transitioning into college sports is always a challenge, but they've demonstrated great effort and intensity.” Lanier said she can’t explain how proud she is of the freshmen on the team. “They have been placed under a lot of pressure with huge roles to fill as we lost key players in the last senior class. The girls have truly stepped up to the challenge and are working their hardest to do well.” Bosma said, “The speed and intensity of the college game are definitely a step up from high school, but the upperclassmen have been really supportive in helping us make that transition.” Most recently, the Rams fell to the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors 13-6 on March 12. Their overall record is now 1-3. The Rams are back in action when they travel south to Panama City Beach, Florida to face the Colby-Sawyer College Chargers March 17 and the Endicott College Seagulls March 19. DiMare said, “Our first few games showed us what we need to work on, and we’re making adjustments to our game plan. Florida is a great opportunity to build momentum, so we’re making sure we’re prepared both physically and mentally.”