PLYMOUTH – The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines domination as “supremacy or preeminence over another.” No better word could describe the Plymouth State Women’s Lacrosse team’s performance last Saturday, as the Panthers dominated in a 21-9 victory over fellow Little East conference team UMass Dartmouth.
The victory marked the Panthers’ fifth consecutive Little East Conference win; they are now 6-0 in LEC games this season and 29-0 in conference play since 2002. The win also clinched the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament, a position the Panthers now occupy for the fifth straight year. Plymouth now rides a four-game winning streak into the final week of the regular season, while UMass falls to 5-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Plymouth struck first and never looked back. Five minutes into the first half the score was already 4-2 Panthers. The Corsairs, who came as close as 8-4 with thirteen minuets left in the first half, failed to score again until the middle of the second half. Plymouth ended the first half leading 15-4 after scoring seven unanswered goals.
After the start of the second half the Panthers scored four more unanswered insurance goals to secure the win. With the scored board reading 21-9 as time ran out the Panthers swarmed the field in elation.
Plymouth chose Saturday’s game to celebrate their outstanding seniors, which proved to be advantageous with four of the five seniors on the team all scoring. Bethany Brown, Hillary Arthur, Caitlyn Irving and Nicole Evans all scored at least once in front of an excited home crowd.
Led by junior Kelsey MacDonald with four goals, 11 different Panthers scored in the match. Senior Nicole Evans and junior Annie Pinault each had three goals and two assists, while Brown, junior Meg Cupoli and freshman Cassidy Barry all scored two goals each.
MacDonald’s four goal effort was matched by Corsairs junior Katelyn Elliot. UMass Sophomore Marie Spang and senior Katelyn Sullivan each posted two goals as well. They couldn’t match the dominant offence the Panthers put on the field though, an offence that also dispatched Colby-Sawyer College 12-8 earlier that week.
Plymouth State extended their win streak to five games on Tuesday by edging Springfield. They will look to make it six when they wrap up their regular season on Saturday, traveling to Bridgewater State for a non-conference showdown at 2 p.m. The Corsairs played a non-conference game Wednesday evening at Worcester State at 7:00 p.m.