Sports
Photo by Molly Tracey ’20
Women’s lacrosse third in NESCAC with 6-2 record in conference play
By Mary Lundin ’19
April 13, 2017
Tags sports
After a challenging schedule replete with ample competition throughout March, the Continentals returned home on Saturday April 1 to extend their winning streak to five games in a row, recording a 13-5 NESCAC win against the Bates College Bobcats at Hamilton’s Steuben Field. This game marked the Continentals’ ninth game overall and fifth NESCAC game. Including this game, Hamilton has won four of the seven all-time meetings with Bates.
Hamilton’s offense had a banner day with two athletes scoring career-high goals. Kara Pooley ’19 tied a career-high four points on two goals and two assists while Tatiana Bradley ’19 recorded a career-best three goals. Additionally, Hamilton goalie Hannah Burrall ’19 scored a career high with eight saves, caused three turnovers and picked up three ground balls. Two seniors, Morgan Fletcher and Nora Klemmer, proved instrumental in the Continentals’ success. Fletcher recorded three goals and an assist, while Klemmer added two goals and two assists of her own. Fletcher, who leads the team with 15 goals and 23 points, also added three ground balls and a pair of forced turnovers. Darby Philbrick ’18 also recorded a goal and an assist.
The Continentals successfully controlled the first half of the game, scoring three goals in the first eight minutes followed by three more goals in the next five minutes; Bates scored only one goal in between. The Continentals entered halftime with a 6-1 lead. The second half commenced with a goal by Fletcher in the first three minutes, followed by five more goals scored by Hamilton in a 15 minute period, one of which was added by Jackie Cuddy ’18, giving her a total of 14 goals overall. Bradley scored the final goal, further widening Hamilton’s lead to 13-5.
With zeal, dedication, and much preparation, the Continentals played perhaps their most challenging game of the season thus far on Wednesday, April 5 against the Middlebury College Panthers at Hamilton’s Steuben Field.
Without a doubt, the Continentals’ skill proved a continual challenge for the Panthers. Hamilton’s offense was filled with excellent performances, most notably Casey File ’17, who tied a career high four goals along with four draw controls, Nora Klemmer, who tied a career best with five points on three goals and two assists and Darby Philbrick, who scored three goals and won a career-high six draws. Additionally, Pooley added a goal, an assist and three forced turnovers. Likewise, Burrall made six of her career-best nine saves during the second half.
Even though each team was down one player resulting from a yellow card violation in the second half, 15 goals, 32 shots and 27 ground balls were corralled. The Panthers began with an 11-7 lead, but two goals each by Philbrick and File reduce their deficit to only one with a score of 12-11 with about seven minutes left in play. Following this, Taylor Ryan ’17 grabbed a ground ball for the Continentals, but unfortunately turned the ball over to the Panthers, giving them a little wiggle room with four and a half minutes remaining. Philbrick subsequently scored another goal, lowering the Continentals’ point deficit to only two, as the clock ran out and the #4 Middlebury Panthers grabbed another win against the #15 Hamilton Continentals with a final score of 13-11.
After an incredibly close game against Middlebury, the Continentals returned three days later to take on the Tufts University Jumbos at Steuben Field. The nationally ranked No. 15 Continentals (7-4, 5-2 NESCAC) were led by Klemmer, who scored three points on a goal and two assists while Pooley, Philbrick and Skyler Simson ’20 each added two goals. Fletcher and Hendry also posted a goal and an assist.
Maddie Fitzpatrick ’18 bolstered Hamilton’s defense with five caused turnovers and seven ground balls, both career-highs. Additionally, Hannah Rubin ‘17 made her first start in goal this year along with four saves in the first half. Burrall entered at the start of the second half and made one save.
Likewise, Hamilton’s offense had an incredibly successful day across the board. Firstly, Fletcher tied her prior season high with four caused turnovers in addition to securing her lead with 11 assists and 27 points total. Secondly, Pooley equaled her career-best with four draw controls. Finally, File obtained a career-high four ground balls along with three draw controls.
After the game, the Continentals honored seniors Rubin, Fletcher, File, Klemmer, Ryan, Ellison Sherrill ’17 and Lillie Simourian ’17.
On Tuesday, Hamilton defeated the Williams Ephs 11-10 in a thrilling comeback victory. At one point in the game, Hamilton trailed 8-3, but a 6-1 run tied the game at 9-9 late in the second half.
Philbrick netted the winning goal with just 14.2 seconds remaining in the NESCAC game.