SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Senior attack Taylor Scialdone recorded a game-best six goals to lead Western New England University to a 14-6 win over Mount Holyoke College on Wednesday afternoon. With the victory, the Golden Bears move to 5-2 on the season, while the Lyons are now 1-3 overall.
Scialdone (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland) added two assists to her effort as well, with two ground balls, and two draw control wins to go along with three caused turnovers. Classmate and fellow attack Brooke Kumnick (Granby, Conn./Granby Memorial) added four goals on a game-high nine shots for WNE, while senior middie Emma Norden (Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown) had two.
For the Lyons, senior attack Julia Bell (Longmeadow, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson) recorded a team-best four goals on a game-best nine shots, while classmate and attacker Catherine Ryan (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) posted a game-high four assists, including feeds on three of Bell's goals.
The Golden Bears got off to a quick start as Kumnick fired down the middle past Lyons' keeper Isa Rodriguez (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville School) off a nice pass from behind the goal by sophomore attack Julia Winer (Longmeadow, Mass./Wilbraham & Monson) at 23:31. Bell answered for MHC as she ran down the middle and caught a speeding pass from Ryan to equalize the game at 20:36.
Western New England would soon gain control, going on a 5-0 run courtesy of three straight goals from Scialdone and two tallies at the end by Kumnick for a 7-1 lead. Bell would once again answer for the home team, notching a free position tally before adding another goal on the run off a Ryan assist with 45 seconds to go. Despite the momentum, Kumnick added her fourth of the game with two seconds remaining, to send WNE into halftime with an 8-3 advantage.
Scialdone opened the second half scoring just 1:15 in, but the Lyons responded with a shot from sophomore attack Molly Dunphy (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley Union), who corralled a nice pass in front from Ryan behind the right goal post. The two teams traded goals once again as Scialdone added her fifth and Bell countered with her fourth to make it a 10-5 game with 22:34 to play.
The Golden Bears went on a 4-0 run over the final 16:45, including a pair of tallies from Norden to push the lead to 14-5. Junior attack Charlotte Wagner (West Chester, Pa./Westtown School) was able to get one back for the Lyons with six seconds remaining, but WNE had the game in hand over the final seconds.
In goal, WNE sophomore Shannon McFadden (West Islip, N.Y./West Islip) earned the victory with a seven save effort. Rodriguez shouldered the loss for the Lyons, also recording seven stops.
The Golden Bears held a 30-17 edge in shots, also adding an 11-9 advantage on draw controls. WNE posted a 22-20 margin in ground balls as well.
Mount Holyoke returns to action on Saturday in a 1pm contest at Skidmore. Western New England is back on the field on March 29 at Salve Regina at 7pm.
Photo of Bell courtesy of RJB Sports Photography.
