NEWTON, Mass. – Simmons Lacrosse edged the Mount Ida College Mustangs, 12-11 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action on Tuesday afternoon on Alumni Field. Sophomore midfielder Greer Gilbert (Falmouth, Mass.) led the way for the Sharks with four goals, including the game winner with 1:46 left in the game after Mount Ida had led 9-5. With the win, Simmons improves to 3-1 (2-0 GNAC) while Mount Ida drops to 2-5 (0-2 GNAC) on the season.
With just under 19:00 minutes to play in the second half, Mount Ida freshman Rebecca Beaulieu scored the second of her three goals on the day to give the hosts a four goal advantage. But the Sharks chipped away, as Ashley Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored the next two markers which kicked off a 4-0 run, which tied the game at nine.
Beaulieu put the Mustangs back in front at the 9:00 minute mark by completing a hat trick with a free position goal. Simmons senior Becca Shea (Quincy, Mass.) answered with a free position goal and an unassisted tally in less than a minute to give Simmons an 11-10 edge.
Sheppard knotted the game at eleven with 3:49 left taking an assist from Amanda Bowen who had two goals and two assists on the day.
Gilbert's game winner came on a free position shot, where Simmons was 5-8. The Mustangs were 2-3 on free position attempts and had an 18-8 edge in draw controls, led by ten from Beaulieu.
Mustangs defender Samantha Basler capitalized first at just over a minute into the game, giving the hosts the early 1-0 lead until Gilbert knotted the score with an unassisted goal at the 23:00 mark. Sheehan scored an unassisted goal of her own to give the visitors the 2-1 advantage before Sheppard got on the board with 10:25 remaining in the first half to tie the game for Mount Ida. Just seconds later, Simmons' Stephanie Oliveri (Waltham, Mass.) took the lead right back for the Sharks on a free position goal, but Bowen and Sheppard scored two straight goals to end the half and give the Mustangs the one goal lead, 4-3.
Oliveri's second goal of the game capped Simmmons' 4-0 run and tied the game at nine in the second half.
Junior Sammy Levitt took the loss for the Mustangs while falling to 2-5 on the year while Crystal Derosier (Kingston, Mass.) improved her record to 3-1 for Simmons.
Mount Ida held a 24-17 advantage in ground balls while Simmons outshot the Mustangs 25-23.
Mount Ida will be back in action on Saturday afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. game against Rivier University. Simmons will also take to the field at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon when they entertain Albertus Magnus.
