This story has revised to reflect some scoring changes.

            GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine women's lacrosse team opened its 2021 season with an impressive 19-3 victory over the visiting New England College in a non-conference game Wednesday afternoon at Hannaford Field.
            Playing their first game in 379 days, the Huskies open their 2021 campaign at 1-0.  The Pilgrims dropped their second straight to fall to 0-2.
            Junior Rachel Shanks (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) led the Huskies scoring parade with four goals and three assists.  Senior Megan Violette (Portland, Maine/Deering) led all goal scorers with five goals and had one assist.  Graduate student Jennifer Darasz (Gorham, Maine) added four goals and one assist in her USM debut.  Senior Alex Farley (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) chipped in with three goals and an assists.  Senior Taylor Colangelo (Windham, Maine) contributed two goals and shared team-high honors with three assists.
            Senior Mariah Vaillancourt (Lewiston, Maine/Edward Little) and rookie Cece Racine (Lewiston, Maine/Lewiston) split the goaltending chores for the Huskies.  Vaillancourt played the opening 41:16 surrendering two goals and making one save.  Racine played the final 18:44 allowing one goal and not having a save.
            Seniors Alexandria Safford (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) and Madison LaCharite (Belmont, N.H.), and junior Haley Barnacz (Hamilton, N.J.), scored for NEC.  Senior McKenzie Gallaso (Tolland, Conn.) started in goal giving up 10 goals and making two stops before giving way to freshman Carleigh Knotts (Dover, Del.).  Knotts allowed nine goals and made nine saves over the final 42:47.
            Southern Maine opened the game scoring 10 consecutive goals over the first 17 minutes of play.  Violette had three of the 10 markers, and Darasz and Farley had two apiece.  Shanks closed out the first half scoring twice in the last five minutes to make it 13-1 at the break.
            LaCharite opened the second-half scoring for the Pilgrims, and Barnacz closed out the scoring.  Between, Southern Maine scored six times.
            The Huskies are scheduled to return to action this Saturday (1:00 p.m.) traveling to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for their Little East Conference opener.  The Pilgrims will play their home opener on Saturday (4:00 p.m.) hosting the University of New England.