WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Simmons Lacrosse rode their seven goal lead halfway through the second half to defeat the University of Saint Joseph Blue Jays 11-10 Sunday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference game at St. Joseph.
Simmons improved to 6-5 overall and 5-3 in the GNAC. USJ is 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the GNAC.
Ashley Sheehan (N. Attleboro, Mass.) led all Sharks with four goals, Stephanie Oliveri (Waltham, Mass.) scored three and Seneca Martensson (East Longmeadow, Mass.) scooped up eight ground balls.
Simmons led 5-3 at halftime and pushed its lead to 10-3 on Oliveri's third goal with 26:54 to play. Rachel Foster (Newington, Conn.) and Justine Mojsa (Newington, Conn.) scored next for USJ, but a goal from Simmons' Ali Stonehouse (Keene, N.H.) put the Sharks up 11-5 with 21:55 left.
The Blue Jays then scored the final five goals of the game, two by Foster, and pulled within 11-10 on a goal from Hayley Tufano (Farmington, Conn.) with 1:30 to play. The Blue Jays got two shots off in the final 40 seconds, but Simmons goalkeeper Crystal Derosier (Kingston, Mass.) made a key save on a free position shot with 26 seconds left to secure the Sharks victory.
Foster and Dayna Gambino (Newington, Conn.) scored three goals each for USJ and Erika Leitao (Southington, Conn.) scored twice and picked up a team-high six ground balls.
St. Joseph plays at Johnson & Wales Wed. April 16 in a 4:00 PM GNAC game. Simmons hosts Rivier in a GNAC contest Tuesday at 7:00 PM