Lasell Women's Lacrosse powers past Norwich

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Junior Vanessa Pino (Methuen, Mass.) scored a career-high eight goals and matched her career-best with 10 points Thursday afternoon to lead the Lasell College women's lacrosse team to a 21-7 victory over Norwich University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action at Sabine Field.

Pino scored five first-half goals to help Lasell build up a 14-3 halftime lead en route to the victory. The Lasers extend their winning streak to five games, improving to 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the GNAC, which places them in a four-way tie for second place in the conference with Regis Colleg, Mount Ida College and Saint Joseph's College (Maine).

Senior Taylor Yandow (Moretown, Vt.) tallied three goals, two assists and a season-high 13 draw controls to help the Laser offense, while freshman Kellie Matthews (Walpole, Mass.) also scored three goals and controlled five draws. Sophomores Amanda DiLeonardo (West Haven, Conn.) and Chloe Shugrue (Worcester, Mass.) chipped in with two goals apiece.

Norwich (6-6, 4-4 GNAC) was led by sophomore Olivia Bloom (Annapolis, Md.), who matched her season-high of five goals for the third time this season. Freshmen Kathryn Pruel (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Emily Schromm (North Attleboro, Mass.) each tallied a goal as well to round out the Cadets' goal scorers on the day.

Lasell scored five of the game's first six goals with Pino having a hand in four of them to race out to an early lead from which it would never look back. Norwich cut the margin to 5-2 at the midway point of the first half, but the Lasers outscored the home team 9-1 over the next 15 minutes to end the half with a 14-3 advantage. Lasell maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half.

Lasell returns to action this Saturday, April 21, with a GNAC contest at the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), while Norwich will look to get back on track when it hosts Albertus Magnus Saturday at 1 p.m.

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