BOSTON -- The Mount Holyoke lacrosse team's scoring duo of junior Emi Bisson and first-year Juliana Spaulding could not be stopped on Saturday at Emerson College, as the visiting Lyons defeated the host Lions 19-18 behind a team-record 10 goals by Spaulding and 13 assists by Bisson, which is three more than any other player in Division III this season.
The victory is Mount Holyoke's (3-4, 1-1 NEWMAC) first in NEWMAC play since the 2019 season, and it came by the reverse score of last year's game against Emerson, when the Lions prevailed 19-18 in overtime.
Bisson (Chester, Conn.) shattered the Lyons' single-game assists record by five, toppling the former team standard of eight assists set by Catherine Ryan against Coast Guard in 2016. Bisson's former career best was four assists, which she has accomplished three times.
Bisson also scored two goals to finish with a team-record 15 points, breaking the former team record of 13 set by Julia Bell against New England College in 2014.
Spaulding (Wakefield, Mass.) tied Mount Holyoke's 41-year-old single-game scoring record, set by Debbie Driver against Wesleyan in 1984. Adding in two assists to her performance, Spaulding's 12 points are the third-most in a game in team history.
The Lyons withstood two major rallies by Emerson to secure their long-sought win.
Bisson fed Spaulding for three quick goals within the first two minutes of the game, and both the lead and Bisson's assist total ballooned to five just 4:10 into the game, with Bisson feeding juniors Elle Mader (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Langley Berat (New York, N.Y.) to make it 5-0.
Emerson charged back to tie the game at 6-6 before the end of the quarter, and the host Lions took an 11-10 lead into halftime after a back-and-forth second quarter.
Ava Dellicompagni's goal two minutes into the third quarter gave Emerson its only two-goal lead of the game at 12-10, but within three minutes, Mount Holyoke had retaken the lead at 13-12, with Bisson feeding Berat and Spaulding before tallying her first goal of the game, assisted by Spaulding.
After Laina Gustafson scored to tie it at 13-13 for Emerson, Mount Holyoke looked to the Bisson-to-Spaulding combination for three straight goals. Then first-year Allison Del Sarto (Issaquah, Wash.) added an unassisted tally with nine second left in the third quarter to open a 17-13 Lyons lead.
After the teams traded a goal apiece in the first seven minutes of the period, Emerson exploded for three straight goals in a 45-second span midway through the quarter to close the gap to 18-17. Emerson momentarily seemed to have tied the game at 18-18, but the would-be goal was waived off on a violation, and possession awarded to the Lyons.
With 3:57 remaining, Bisson found Mader open in front to give the Lyons an insurance goal at 19-17.
Bisson controlled the ensuing draw for the ninth time in the game, and Mount Holyoke held possession until turning the ball over on a shot-clock violation. Less than a minute later, Emerson made it a one-goal game again with Dellicompagni feeding Gustafson with 1:40 to go.
Junior Alex Twomey (Nutley, N.J.) won the all-important ensuing draw, and Mount Holyoke was able to watch the clock expire on the win.
Mader finished with three goals, Berat added two, and senior Ella Phillips (Sandwich, Mass.) had a pair of assists for the Lyons.
First-year Valeria Bolanos (Newington, Conn.) earned the victory in goal with 10 saves. Ellie Spotts had nine saves for Emerson.
Dellicompagni had five goals and six assists to lead Emerson's attack. Ava Selby had four goals and two assists, Laura Lovell had four goals, Callie Krosin had two goals and four assists, and Gustafson finished with three goals.
Mount Holyoke will next host Babson College on Wednesday at 6pm.
