By Simmons Athletics

The Simmons College women’s lacrosse team’s defense allowed just two goals and sophomores Mallory Cottam (Hope, RI) and Missie Maiewski (Northampton, MA) each scored twice to lead the Sharks to an 11-2 victory over host Albertus Magnus College today in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference opener at Celentano Field in New Haven, CT. Simmons improves to 3-4 on the season, including 1-0 in league play, while the Falcons fall to 2-1 and 0-1.

The Sharks allowed just six shots on the day, while firing 31 of their own. Albertus Magnus also committed 28 turnovers to Simmons’ total of 14.

Cottam matched her career-high in goals and added a personal-best six ground balls to go with a draw control and a caused turnover for the Sharks. Maiewski picked up a pair of ground balls and caused a turnover as well. Sophomore midfielder Elena Bragg (Belmont, MA) turned in a multi-point effort as well with a goal and an assist in addition to a career-best seven ground balls, three draw controls and a pair of caused turnovers. Sophomore midfielder Ana Giarrusso (Hingham, MA) came up with a career-high eight ground balls and added a goal, five draw controls and two caused turnovers. Sophomore goalie Kenzie Rogers (Bourne, MA) earned the victory with four saves for the visitors.

Junior midfielder Nikki Kern (Wallingford, CT) led the Falcons with both goals in addition to seven ground balls, four draw controls and a pair of caused turnovers. First year defender Sabrina Pohlig (West Palm Beach, FL) led the defensive effort with a career-best eight ground balls and three caused turnovers. Sophomore goalie Lexie Fenn (Oakville, CT) stopped 14 shots for Albertus Magnus.

Simmons scored the first four goals of the match and the defense held the Falcons without a score for the opening 26:15 of the contest. Junior attacker Kasey Fries (Bridgewater, MA) scored her team-leading 19th marker of the season just two minutes into the match to put the Sharks on the board. Maiewski bookended a pair of goals around a Cottam score to give Simmons a 4-0 margin with 20:04 to go in the period.

Kern found the back of the net with 3:45 left in the first half to cut the deficit to 4-1 for Albertus Magnus. The Sharks held their hosts to just two shots in the half as they headed to the intermission with a three-goal lead.

Bragg and junior attacker Kiera Kirkaldy (Middlebury, VT) each scored in a 52-second span to increase the Simmons lead to 6-1 with 22:28 showing on the second half clock. Kern scored to pull the Falcons to within 6-2 at the 21:08 mark, but the Sharks defense posted a shutout for the final 21-plus minutes of the match.

Simmons tallied five unanswered goals to close out the match, including a goal each from first year attacker Kingsley Richards (Lexington, MA) and junior attacker Jolene Potter (Readfield, MN), who scored her  first goal of the season. First year defender Amina Mansouri (Revere, MA) registered her first collegiate goal at the 4:13 mark as well.

The Sharks return to action on Tuesday, March 28 when they head to Newport, RI to take on Salve Regina University for a 7:00 p.m. match, while Albertus Magnus hosts Bay Path College on March 27 at 5:00 p.m.