Falcons face setback to Bears on the road

FITCHBURG, Mass. — The Fitchburg State women's lacrosse team dropped a 16–4 decision to Bridgewater State in conference action Saturday evening.

The Basics

Final Score: Fitchburg State 4, Bridgewater State 16

Records: Fitchburg State (7-8, 2-3 MASCAC), Bridgewater State (5-10, 3-2 MASCAC)

Bridgewater State set the tone early, scoring two quick goals to open the contest before Fitchburg answered with back-to-back tallies. Junior attacker Hannah Azzari (Haverhill, Mass.) got the Falcons on the board off a feed from Samantha Azzari (Haverhill, Mass.), and junior midfielder Noelle Kennedy (West Roxbury, Mass.) added another to cut the deficit to 4–2 after the first quarter.

The Bears took control in the second quarter, erupting for seven unanswered goals to build an 11–2 advantage at halftime. Bridgewater's balanced attack, led by Meredith Sylvia and Kate Fitzpatrick, proved difficult to contain during the stretch.

Fitchburg State was able to break through late in the third quarter when senior midfielder Jessica St. George (Dracut, Mass.) scored an unassisted goal, but Bridgewater continued to extend its lead, taking a 13–3 edge into the final frame. The Falcons added one more goal in the fourth quarter on a free-position attempt from Samantha Azzari, but the Bears closed out the contest with three additional goals to secure the 16–4 victory.

Hannah Azzari, Samantha Azzari, St. George, and Kennedy each recorded a goal for Fitchburg State, while Hannah Azzari and Samantha Azzari also added assists.Defensively, the Falcons were led by Paige Marchand (Rocky Hill, Conn.), who collected four ground balls, while Nevaeh Chiacchia (Monson, Mass.) controlled seven draws. In goal, the Falcons saw action from Dakin Kovatch (White River Junction, Vt.), Caitlin Persson (Worcester, Mass.), and Alexis Muse (Strafford, N.H.), combining for 11 saves on the night.

Fitchburg State falls to 7–8 overall and 2–3 in conference play with the loss.

By the Numbers

• Fitchburg State scored four goals on 22 shots, placing 14 attempts on target.
• Hannah Azzari, Samantha Azzari, Jessica St. George, and Noelle Kennedy each accounted for a goal, with Hannah and Samantha Azzari adding assists.
• The Falcons recorded 14 ground balls and won 13 draw controls, including seven from Nevaeh Chiacchia.
• Fitchburg finished with 19 turnovers while forcing 16, and went up against 35 shots defensively.
• In goal, the Falcons combined for 11 saves in the contest.

Up Next

The Falcons will return home for Senior Night vs Anna Maria at 6 PM on April 21st, which will also be head coach Rick Terrio's final home game after 19 years as head coach for the Falcons. 

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