Larivee's Five Goals Propels 'Cats Past Sacred Heart, 16-5

Friday, February 22

Fairfield, CT

3 PM

University of New Hampshire

1-1

Sacred Heart University

0-1

New Hampshire

Sacred Heart

Photo by: Meghan Murphy

2/22/2019 10:05:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Mickenzie Larivee (Amherst, N.H.) scored five goals, all in the second half, to propel the University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team to Friday afternoon's 16-5 victory against Sacred Heart University at Campus Field.

Rylee Leonard (Coventry, R.I.) and Michele Smith (Wantagh, N.Y.) recorded four points apiece; Leonard tallied three goals and an assist, whereas Smith had a goal and three assists. Devan Miller (Bristol, R.I.; two goals, one assist) and Catherine Sexton (Niskayuna, Niskayuna, N.Y.; two goals) also finished with multiple points.

Larivee, Leonard and Miller were 3 of 5 Wildcats who recorded two caused turnovers. Miller also had a team-high four ground balls.

Starting UNH goalkeeper Issy Torres (Elmhurst, Ill.) stopped 4 of 8 shots on goal in 48 minutes, 11 seconds to earn her first collegiate win; she also collected three ground balls. Amanda Gottlieb (Canton, Conn.) played the final 11:49 and was credited with two saves.

SHU was led offensively by Hanna Wise (three goals). Shana Hecht made eight first-half saves to keep the Pioneers close; she finished with 14 stops.

UNH outscored the hosts 12-2 in the second half to improve to 1-1 on the season. This was Fairfield's season opener.

UP NEXT
* UNH returns to action Feb. 24 (1 p.m.) at UConn.
* The Wildcats' next home game is March 17 (12 p.m.) against Iona College.

HOW IT HAPPENED
* UNH struck first when Gabby Masseur (Nashua, N.H.) netted her second goal in as many games at 28:18.
* Sexton cut down the fan and one-timed the pass from Teagan Northrup (Longmeadow, Mass) behind the net to give the 'Cats a 2-0 lead at 25:38.
* Wise potted consecutive goals at 22:23 and 18:18 to tie the score, 2-2.
* The Wildcats regained the lead on Sexton's second goal of the game, this time off a feed from Smith, at 11:52.
* Caroline Wax converted Taylor Sweeney's pass into a goal and tie score, 3-3, at 6:25.
* New Hampshire took a 4-3 lead into halftime after Leonard scored on a free position with eight seconds remaining.
* Miller scored unassisted goals at 29:18 and 28:06 to extend the advantage to 6-3 and Smith's first goal of the year pushed UNH's run to four consecutive goals and a 7-3 lead at 27:10.
* SHU's Lydia Werlau netted a free-position goal to stop the run at 24:41.
* Larivee responded with back-to-back goals 56 seconds apart (at 22:17 and 21:21) to push the margin to 9-4.
* Those tallies ignited a 5-0 run in which Leonard's goals at 18:44 and 11:49 were sandwiched around Larivee's third tally at 13:23.
* Wise scored her third goal of the game on a free position at 10:59 to trim the Pioneer's deficit to 12-5.
* The 'Cats closed the game with four unanswered goals by Larivee, Lily Powell (Marcellus, N.Y.), Larivee and Abby Cranney (Amherst, N.H.).

UNH NOTEBOOK
* Smith recorded career highs in both assists (three) and points (four).
* Leonard's four points matched her personal best.
* Both Powell and Cranney recorded first collegiate point with a goal.
* Sabrina Grovom (San Marcos, Calif.) tallied her first point of the season with an assist on Powell's goal.
* Both Tatum Benesh (Horseheads, N.Y.) and Meghan Doyle (Boxborough, Mass.) were credited with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
* Larivee has eight goals in two games this season to lead UNH in both goals and points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
* UNH finished with the edge in shots (33-15), shots on goal (30-11), ground balls (26-16), draw controls (12-11) and turnovers (13-26).
* New Hampshire scored on 5 of 7 free-position shots.
* SHU scored on 2 of 6 free-position shots.

* The Wildcats were a perfect 21-for-21 on clear attempts. The Pioneers were 15-for-24.