WOMEN'S LAX CRUISES PAST FRAMINGHAM STATE, 15-3

Framingham, Mass.  – Sophomore Kristen Tuleja (Mansfield, Mass.) collected eight points to lead the Emmanuel College Saints to a 15-3 victory over the Framingham State University Rams in non-conference women's lacrosse action at Maple Street Field this afternoon.

With the win the Saints close the regular season 12-2, while the loss drops the Rams to 2-11 on the year.

Tuleja tallied four goals and picked up four assists en route to her eight points, while classmate Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.) filled the stat sheet with four goals, four draw controls and seven ground balls to go along with six cause turnovers.  Junior Sarah Wooten (Berlin, Md.) chipped in with three goals and a pair of helpers for five points in the contest, while junior Madison Altwies (Southington, Conn.) tallied two.

The Rams were led offensively by a goal and an assist from freshman Lindsay Nixon (Woburn, Mass.).  Nixon also picked up four ground balls and two draw controls.  Junior Nicole L'Heureux (Dracut, Mass.) and freshman Kristen Hoggins (Harvard, Mass.) picked up a single goal apiece, while senior Marissa Canfield (Billerica, Mass.) snagged a team-best five ground balls.

Emmanuel College grabbed the lead for good with a goal just 25 seconds into the contest as Higgins found the back of the net unassisted.   The Saints would tack on three more over the next five minutes before the Rams got on the board on a marker from L'Heureux off a Nixon assist with 22:53 on the clock.

Tuleja, who finished with four first half goals, pushed the lead back to 5-1, but a Nixon unassisted tally cut the deficit back three with just over 13 minutes remaining.  Emmanuel closed the half with four straight unassisted goals – two from Tuleja and two from Higgins – to take a 9-2 lead at the half.

Emmanuel opened the second half with a pair of goals in the first three minutes and scored the first five goals of the frame to put the game out of reach.  Hoggins closed the game's scoring with an unassisted goal with just over four minutes remaining.

Emmanuel outshot the Rams 26-9 in the game and held a slim 19-17 edge in ground balls.  Sophomore Alysha Cericola (Waltham, Mass.) was tagged with the loss for the Rams between the pipes despite making seven saves.  Sophomore Lauren White (Lynnfield, Mass.) made three stops for the Saints en route to the victory.

The Rams return to action on Saturday when they host Bridgewater State in a MASCAC game beginning at 12 p.m., while the Saints concluded their regular season today and await the announcement of their conference tournament pairings.

*Release courtesy of Framingham State University