Women's LAX Can't Get Past RIC

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's lacrosse team came up on the short end of a 12-9 final on Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference showdown with Rhode Island College.

RIC's Maddie Kross scored a game-high five goals and goalie Olivia Brennan made six saves as the Anchorwomen (1-4 overall) earned their first win of the season. Olivia Carpenito added a hat trick with two assists while Shannon O'Connell and Natalie Kulacz chipped in two goals apiece. Kulacz also handed out a game-high three assists.

Kathryn Barillaro paced Mitchell with a career-high four goals. Daniella Holland finished with a pair of scores while Carly Potts netted her first goal of the season. Hannah Gomes made seven stops in the cage for the Mariners, who dropped to 1-8 overall.

In the opening quarter, goals by Kulacz and Kross gave the Anchorwomen an early 2-0 edge. Mitchell got on the scoreboard with 4:14 left in the period on a goal by Jessica Krupnikoff, and 17 seconds later Barillaro tucked away her first of the day to tie the score at 2-2.

Carpenito and Kulacz notched back-to-back scores before the end of the quarter, giving RIC a 4-2 advantage heading into the second period. The Mariners cut the deficit back to one on another marker by Barillaro, but Carpenito and Kross answered back as the Anchorwomen took their biggest lead of the half at 6-3.

Potts scored the final goal of the half to pull the Mariners to within 7-5 at the break. In the second half, Mitchell cut the deficit to a single goal at three different points, but each time the visitors had an answer and never yielded the lead. 

After Barillaro scored off a feed from Holland in the opening minutes of the half, Carpenito and Kross each netted goals to cushion RIC's lead back to three. Rachel Ricciuti added a goal late in the period, and Holland notched her second of the game early in the fourth to draw Mitchell back to within one.

This time it was O'Connell who supplied the response for the Anchorwomen, scoring off a feed from Kulacz to make it 10-8 with 6:46 left in the game. Barillaro's final tally came a minute later to keep Mitchell close, but O'Connell and Kross each potted goals in the final 2:58 to seal the victory.

Abby Rasmussen had a strong game at the midfield spot, finishing with a game-high eight draw controls to go with four ground balls. Krupnikoff led the Mariners with five ground balls while Barillaro caused a pair of turnovers.

Mitchell will next play at Mass Maritime Academy on Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m.