Gulls Soar Past Salve Regina in CCC Opener 15-4

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott women's lacrosse team hosted Salve Regina on Saturday afternoon for their Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opener. Behind a game-high four goals from both sophomore Emily Whitney (Rye, N.H.) and senior Ellie Clayman (Beverly, Mass.) the Gulls soared to a 15-4 victory to improve to 20-0 all-time with the Seahawks. With the win Endicott sits at 4-2 (1-0 CCC) while Salve Regina falls to 2-4 (0-1 CCC).

The Gulls will see the field next on Wednesday, March 25^th as they host Roger Williams for a 4:00 p.m. matchup in CCC competition. Salve Regina will take the field next on Monday, March 23^rd for a non-conference matchup with Rhode Island College at 7:30 p.m.

Following the four goals from Whitney and Clayman, senior Katie Tierney (South Hadley, Mass.) recorded a season-high three goals while recording assist while playmaker, senior Siri Mason (Williamstown, Mass.) posted two goals and two assists in the victory. Clayman played a stealthy defensive game leading a game-high five caused turnovers, four groundballs and five draw controls.

For the Seahawks sophomore Kaitlin Gillespie (Haddam, Conn.) led with her two goals while junior goalkeeper Katie Jones (Derry, N.H.) posted a team-high three groundballs. Both sides split goalkeeping duties with the Gulls, sophomore Maura Grady (Marblehead, Mass.) and freshman Molly Lane (Durham, Maine) combining for seven saves while Jones and graduate student, Josephine O'Reilly (Middletown, R.I.) each made four stops in the effort.

The first half was completely controlled by the Blue and Green as they outscored Salve Regina 10-3 highlighted by four goals from Clayman, three being consecutive. Salve Regina started the scoring to take their only lead in the game as Gillespie found the back of the net two minutes in. However the Gulls quickly responded with four straight goals. Tierney started it off with the help of Meghan Lennon while Clayman followed after making a quick play to goal with Whitney. Whitney would end the short scoring spree with back to back goals to take a 4-1 lead by the 22:15 mark.

Salve Regina would break the Gulls scoring pattern as senior Gina Tortorici (Deer Park, N.Y.) made a solo play to goal for her lone goal of the game. Endicott would again pick up their offensive game scoring another four straight goals, three being from Clayman, all unassisted while senior Kirsten Thor (Longmeadow, Mass.) worked to goal with Mason to take the 8-2 advantage.

At 7:59 freshman Jessie Severino (Branford, Conn.) would tally the final goal of the half for Salve Regina while Mason would counter with her first goal of the season followed by the final goal of the half, by sophomore Meghan Lennon (Canton, Mass.) for the 10-3 score.

The second half was a quieter setting for both sides with the Gulls still controlling the scoreboard taking the 5-1 edge in the half. Tierney started the half nine minutes in with her third point of the game for the eight goal advantage. Mason would follow suit on a free-position shot to tally her second goal of the game and of the season. Gillespie would answer back at the 12:07 mark but hers would be the last Seahawks goal of the game. Endicott would tally three more goals in the half, two from Whitney and one from Tierney to end the game with a 15-4 final score.

Grady tabbed the win for the Blue and Green as she improves to 4-2 on the season while her starting counterpart, O'Reilly falls to 1-4.