The women's lacrosse team dropped their home opener Tuesday night, as they were outlasted by the Fitchburg State Falcons 13-9. Lasell’s Kaitlin Bedell and Teresa Kessner each netted four goals, while Fitchburg’s Nicole Orolowski and Jessica St. George each put four goals on the board for the Falcons. The first 45 minutes at Grellier Field were a back-and-forth game with momentum swaying to both sides throughout.
The first quarter began with six minutes of lockdown defense from both sides and featured multiple big saves from sophomore goaltender Joy Sayah. The Lasers broke out of their offensive struggles when first-year Emily Watson went coast to coast, weaved through the Falcons' defense, and delivered a strike into the back of the net.
Shortly after the Lasers found their offensive rhythm the Falcons found theirs, responding to Watson’s goal with three of their own, ending the 1st quarter on a 3-0 run.
Going into the second quarter up 3-1, Fitchburg was looking to pull away and set the tone early.
The Lasers offense showed they weren’t going to be silenced for long, however, as they answered the early Falcons run with two quick goals from senior defender Kaitlin Bedell and senior attacker Teresa Kessner to tie the game at three. The two teams traded free possession and unassisted goals down the stretch, and Fitchburg went into the third with a 6-4 lead.
Unlike the quarters prior, the third featured early sightings of offense, with a Kaitlin Bedell goal in the opening minute. The Falcons got their offensive unit going early as well, responding to the Bedell goal a minute later to go back up two.
The Lasers ended the quarter on a 3-1 run and entered the fourth with the game tied for the first time since it was 1-1.
With the score sitting at eight a piece at the start of the fourth, it became clear whichever team scored first would ultimately come away with the win. Unfortunately for the Lasers, the Falcons got on the board and didn’t look back, going on a 3-0 run in the opening minutes of the final frame.
A late Kessner goal gave the Lasers a glimpse of hope with eight minutes to play, but the Lasers ultimately couldn’t string a late run together and fell to the Fitchburg Falcons by a score of 13-9.
Despite the loss, Sayah reached the 200-save mark, ending the contest with 206 saves in her young career.
Sayah and the Lasers look to bounce back when they visit Salem State University on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
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