April 12, 2007

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - The nationally-ranked Babson College women's lacrosse team continued its magnificent 2007 season on Thursday evening, as the #17 Beavers toppled the sixth-ranked Amherst College Lord Jeffs, 7-6, in a non-conference contest held at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. With their sixth straight victory, the Beavers improved to 9-2, while the Jeffs slipped to 6-3.

Junior Anita Martignetti (Winchester, Mass.) was brilliant in the win for Babson, scoring four goals, including the game-winner with 7:59 left to play. The Beavers' defense was also outstanding, as the unit did not allow a single free position attempt in the contest. Senior tri-captain Jennie Williams finished with four saves in the win, while sophomore Kate Nichols joined Martignetti with a team-high four groundballs.

Amherst gained control of the first draw and wasted no time, as senior quad-captain Alyssa Briody (Hopewell, NJ) set up junior Maddie Hoeg (Shoreham, NY) for the first goal less than one minute into the game. Briody and Hoeg then connected again soon after, giving the Jeffs an early 2-0 lead.

The Beavers got on the board after five minutes of action when first-year Anna Collins assisted on Martignetti's 25th goal of the season. Sophomore Amy Craig (Denver, CO) netted her 26th goal of the season five minutes later, with Hoeg picking up the assist for her third point of the game.

Babson was given the first free position attempt of the night, and Martignetti made it count to cut her team's deficit to one goal. Martignetti was given another free position attempt six minutes later, bouncing her shot past Amherst goalie Linda McEvoy (Rochester, NY) to tie the game at 3-3, forcing Amherst to call a timeout with 12:25 on the clock.

Briody picked up her third assist of the game just 69 seconds out of the timeout when she set up Craig's second goal of the evening, but the Jeffs' lead disappeared when a costly turnover in their defensive end led directly to a Collins unassisted goal. It only took 24 more seconds for the Beavers to net their fifth goal and take their first lead of the game, as first-year Kaitlyn Pettengill (Hopkinton, Mass.) converted for another free position goal to give Babson a 5-4 advantage at the break.

Craig got things going in the second half when she sent a hard shot low past Babson keeper Jennie Williams' right side to tie the game at 5-5 four minutes and 13 seconds into the frame. The second goal of the half did not come for another five minutes and 25 seconds when Craig chalked up her fourth tally with the assist going to Briody, giving the lead back to Amherst with 20 minutes to play.

Collins ripped a shot from close range midway through the half, but McEvoy came up with a big save to preserve the lead. The Beavers kept the pressure on, however, as Martignetti sent in a pass from behind the net to find a streaking Platt, who tied the game at 6-6 with a quick catch-and-release that found its way to the back of the net.

Martignetti was given another free position opportunity with nine minutes remaining in the half, but McEvoy once again came up with a big save to keep the game in a deadlock. Another costly Amherst turnover in the Jeffs' defensive end, however, allowed Platt to take control and find Martignetti sprinting toward the goal to score her fourth goal of the game, resulting in another Amherst timeout with just eight minutes to play.

The Beavers regained possession and were able to work nearly six minutes off the clock. When Amherst finally got the ball back with two minutes to play, the Jeffs quickly turned the ball over with an offsides call.

A Babson turnover gave Amherst one final run with 1:00 showing on the clock, but the Jeffs once again could not hold on to the ball for long enough to work any offense, as the Beavers ran out the clock and picked up the 7-6 upset.

McEvoy and Williams each played the full 60 minutes, with both keepers making four saves. Craig led Amherst with four goals, while Hoeg added a pair and Briody assisted on three. Martignetti led the Babson attack with four goals and one assist.

The Beavers' defensive effort was keyed by the stellar play of senior tri-captain Keri Barrett, sophomore Brianne Carlson, and junior Bethany Nardone, while Martignetti, Platt, Collins and Nichols also played well on the defensive end. Next up for Babson is conference foe Mount Holyoke, whome the Beavers will host on Saturday afternoon.

NOTE: Taken from an Amherst College press release.