MIDDLETOWN, R.I. – On a night when the Salve Regina women's lacrosse team honored its three graduating seniors, senior Jennifer Jones (Basking Ridge, N.J.) stole the show with a program record 11 points as she led the Seahawks to a 20-13 victory over Commonwealth Coast Conference opponent Wentworth Institute of Technology, Wednesday afternoon.
Wentworth sophomore Heather Saroch (Arnold, Md.) and freshman Pam Mudge (Pembroke, N.H.) went back-to-back with two quick goals to give the Leopards their last lead of the game at 3-1 with just over 25 minutes to play in the first half. Junior Grace Kelly (Auburn, N.Y.) kicked off a five-goal run that covered just over six minutes of action that feature two tallies from Kelly to give Salve Regina a 6-3 lead.
After a goal from senior Meg Ferro (Syracuse, N.Y.) momentarily halted the Seahawks scoring run, Jones buried her second and third goals of the game to push the Seahawk lead to 8-4. Junior Karley Malenczak (Sayville, N.Y.) and Jones scored on back-to-back possessions for the Seahawks after a goal from sophomore Alexandra Banks (Ellington, Conn.) to give Salve Regina a 10-5 lead.
Wentworth went on its most prolific scoring run of the game starting with 13:16 to play with a four-goal spree to pull within one at 10-9. Highlighting the run was a pair of unassisted goals from sophomore Jessica Houghton (Billerica, Mass.). Four different Seahawks found the back of the net over the last 6:16 of the opening half, however, to answer the Leopards run with four of their own to give Salve Regina a 13-9 lead going into halftime.
Jones quickly extended the Salve Regina lead with a pair of goals to open the second half before Wentworth and Salve Regina traded the next five goals to give the Seahawks a 18-12 lead with 15 minutes left to play. Jones sent home her final two goals of the contest to give Salve Regina its largest lead of the game, 20-12, before Houghton scored with just 15 seconds to play to bring the score to its final, 20-13.
Jones finished the day with a school-record 11 points, adding three assists to her school single-game record eight goals. Kelly and sophomore Gina Tortorici (Deer Park, N.Y.) picked up a team-high four ground balls while senior Danielle Malconian (Belmont, Mass.) controlled a game-high six draw controls. Junior Josephine O'Reilly (Middletown, R.I.) stopped seven shots in the win for Salve Regina.
Houghton had five goals and six draw controls while Mudge added four goals for the Leopards. Freshman Hayley Patton (Cranston, R.I.) made 15 saves for Wentworth, which ends its first varsity season with a 1-11 (0-8) record.
The Seahawks wrap up their season with a 3-11 record and a 1-7 slate in the CCC.
(Recap Courtesy of Salve Regina Sports Information)
