SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - Powered by a game-high nine points from senior attack Cecilia McCormick, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) defeated Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon. With the victory, the Engineers move to 3-5 overall and remain perfect in conference play at 2-0. The homestanding Lyons slip to 5-4 with an 0-2 mark in the NEWMAC.
McCormick (Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) recorded a game-high four goals with a game-best five assists on the afternoon, adding seven shots (six on goal) with two ground balls and a caused turnover. First year midfielder Naomi Lutz (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) added a game-high four goals with a ground ball and five draw controls, while classmate and fellow middie Eva Then (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth) buried three goals on nine shots (six on goal), to go along with a game-best six draw controls. Four other players added at least one goal, including two tallies and an assist from first year midfielder Shannon Wing (Westford, Mass./Middlesex School).
For the Lyons, rookie midfielder Abby Baldwin (Florence, Mass./Northampton) recored a team-high three goals on six shots on goal. She also posted a team-best four draw controls. Senior attack Deyscha Smith (Boston, Mass./Academy of the Pacific Rim) notched two goals in the contest, while rookie attack Caroline Flynn (Williamstown, Mass./Mount Greylock Regional) had a tally. Sophomore defender Chelsea Braz (Coventry, Conn./East Catholic) and goalie Sophia Brooks-Randall (Providence, R.I./St. Mary Academy - Bay View) each notched three ground balls, while Braz also had a game-high three caused turnovers.
It was a close battle to open the contest, which saw MIT jump out to a 3-0 lead. McCormick tallied two goals in the opening four minutes, sandwiched around a score by Then. Mount Holyoke battled back as Baldwin and Flynn scored less than a minute apart to cut the deficit to 3-2 at 24:27. McCormick netted her third, but Baldwin responded once more, keeping the game close at 4-3. Despite the Lyons momentum, the Engineers gained control back, going on a 9-0 run over the final 14:47 to take the 13-3 lead. Pacing the effort in the span was Then, Lutz and first year midfielder Ali Hoffman (Port Washington, N.Y./Paul D. Schrieber), who all had two goals apiece.
In the second half of action, the visitors continued to press, scoring three more tallies for a 16-3 lead at 17:17. Wing, who scored the final goal of the first half, notched the opener in the second as well, while Lutz tipped in her third of the contest. MHC answered as Smith scored at 15:52, followed by a free position tally from Baldwin to close the gap at 16-5, but two more tallies by MIT pushed the advantage to 13 (18-5). Smith converted a pass from junior captain and midfielder Julianna Rankin (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) at 1:24, but the Engineers maintained control down the stretch for the win.
MIT saw sophomore Hannah Adams (McLean, Va./The Madeira School) earn the win, making six saves over 40:36 minutes of action. Rookie Kiely Smiga-McManus (Etna, N.H./Holderness School) came on for 14:06 of relief and made one stop, while classmate Elena Boal (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro North) played the final 5:18 and did not have any saves. For Mount Holyoke, junior Mia Wysocki (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) recorded nine saves through the first half of action. Brooks-Randall came on for the second half and did not have any stops.
Mount Holyoke returns to action next Saturday when they travel to Western New England for a 1pm match against the Golden Bears. MIT is back on the field on Wednesday when it hosts Johnson & Wales University at 4pm.
