WOMEN'S LAX DROPS OPENING ROUND NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME TO WHEATON, 14-3

NORTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College women's lacrosse team's 2014 season came to a close Wednesday evening at the hands of Wheaton College following a 14-3 loss in NCAA Tournament first round action at Nordin Field. The Lyons (14-6) will now advance to the second round of the tournament and will play against Williams College on Saturday, April 10 in Williamstown, Mass. at a time to be determined later. The loss snaps the Saints program-record 11 game winning streak.

Senior Leila Mills (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) fueled the Wheaton offense with a game-high four goals and one assist, while sophomore Allie Bush (Kennebunk, Maine/Kennebunk) orchestrated the attack with two goals and a game-high three assists. 

Sophomore Jenna Tewksbury (Concord, N.H./Concord) add a hat-trick and classmate Brooke Sabol (Landgrove, Vt./Burr & Burton Academy) and juniorKelsie Jenquine (Brunswick, Maine/Brunswick) chipped in with two goals and one helper apiece. Sophomore Ava Myette (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro) rounded out the scoring with a goal at the 8:06 mark of the second half, while classmate Melanie Sharick (Amherst, Mass./Amherst) and freshman Giovanna Bishop (Portland, Ore./Grant) both registered one assist each.

Defensively, Wheaton junior goalkeeper Katy Ananian (Belmont, Mass./Belmont) stopped five shots and also added two assists setting up a pair of first half goals at 11:51 and 1:48, respectively. Senior Devon Soucier (Avon, Conn./Northwest Catholic) registered three ground balls and four draw controls, while junior Anna Viragh (Columbus, Ohio/Wellington School), Jenquine and Ananian tied for the team-high in ground balls with four apiece. Sabol also aided the attack with four draw controls, two ground balls and two caused turnovers. 

Emmanuel (15-3) received two markers from sophomore Kristen Tuleja (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) and a solo tally by junior Madison Altwies (Southington, Conn./Southington). Freshman Julian Rush (Milton, Mass./Milton) led all student-athletes with six ground balls and one draw control, while sophomore Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass./Pentucket Regional) contributed one assist, five ground balls, three draw controls and two caused turnovers. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren White (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield) made seven saves in the loss. 

The Lyons scored eight-straight goals over a 23:21 span before Tuleja broke up the shutout with her 62nd goal of the season (unassisted) with 5:10 remaining in the first half. The tally was also the 100^th career marker for Tuleja who is the Emmanuel all-time leader in goals. Sabol started Wheaton's run at the 28:59 mark with her 51st tally of the season, Mills potted three goals and Tewksbury found the back of the net twice to highlight the run. 

After Tuleja's marker put the Saints on the scoreboard (8-1), Jenquine finished a feed from Ananian near the right post with 1:48 left to play in the opening stanza and Sabol and Tewksbury both scored on feeds from Bush to close out the half for an eventual 11-1 advantage at the break. 

Tuleja buried her 63rd goal of the year 7:06 into the second half and Altwies notched her 13th marker of the season at 22:33 to make it an 11-3 contest. Mills followed with her 37^th marker at 21:40 on a nice pass from Bishop and Bush and Myette both scored with under 20 minutes to go to secure the victory.

Wheaton finished the night going 21-for-29 in clear attempts and 10-9 in draw controls. Emmanuel converted 15-out-of-21 of its clears and tied the Lyons in ground balls at 25-25. Wheaton also registered a 3-for-5 showing in free position attempts.

*Release courtesy of Wheaton College Sports Information