STANDISH — The University of Maine at Farmington got on the scoreboard first, but then came the heavy rain followed by St. Joseph’s College’s deluge on offense.
The University of Maine at Farmington’s Kaya Backman (8) passes the ball as St. Joe’s Kayla Kelly (3) tries to intervene in a lacrosse game in Standish on a rainy Monday afternoon. Sun Journal photo by Tony Blasi
Like the downpour, the Monks never let up as they floated off with a 15-3 victory over the Beavers in a women’s lacrosse game on a soggy Monday afternoon.
“We kind of needed a few minutes to wake up here in the first half,” St. Joe’s assistant coach Jackie Guillemette said. “It was kind of nice coming off a rough loss last Saturday to Johnson and Wales to get back out here … and our play got a lot better.
“We are kind of used (to the weather) … the snow, the freezing rain, so the rain doesn’t slow us down.
“They (UMF) are a good solid team. They were giving us a run for our money. We definitely had to hunker down, but they are definitely a good team.”
The Beavers struck first 14 seconds into the game when Kaya Blackman scored on a Isabella Monbouquette assist.
But the Monks responded in kind with a pair of goals from Lydia Dexter and Emily Ryan, with assists going to Josie Ring and Maddy Beaulieu.
The University of Maine at Farmington’s Azure Illiano (3) goes against the defense of St. Joe’s Liz Callahn (9) during a lacrosse game in Standish on a rainy Monday. Sun Journal photo by Tony Blasi
UMF got back off the turf and tied the game on an a Monbouquette unassisted goal.
Then St. Joe’s went on a six-goal tear, with Kayla Kelly scoring two and Logan Champlin, Emily Ryan, Ring and Beaulieu each adding one.
UMF’s Samantha Cross scored on a Keilly Lynch assist, but the Monks’ Lydia Dexter punched in her goal on a free-position shot to provide St. Joe’s with a 9-3 lead at halftime.
St. Joe’s owned the second half, scoring six unanswered goals to put the game well out of reach for the Beavers. Kara Kelly turned in a hat trick and Champlin added two more goals to make three for the afternoon in the second half. Molly Barr topped off the scoring with her goal on a Kayla Kelly assist.
“It (rain) messes it up for everyone involved,” UMF coach Beth Lebel said. “(But) it is good for us to get a game in.
“They (Monks) are pretty good team. They are really athletic. They can move the ball and they know how to set up the offense. They are really doing well in their conference, so we knew it was going to be a battle today.”
But Lebel also liked what she saw in her team, despite the loss.
“I thought for us defensively we had a lot of very good stops,” Lebel said. “A lot of great communication, a lot of help was there.”
“Offensively, I think it was a different game if we hit the cage with our shots.”
UMF goalies Heather Boland and Lydia Wasina made nine and six saves, respectively, while St. Joe’s goalie Madelyn Nelson went the distance to make five saves. The Monks outshot the Beavers, 28-18.
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