NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Senior Alex Farley (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) scored five goals and had one assist to lead the visiting University of Southern Maine women's lacrosse team to a 16-3 victory over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in the teams Little East Conference opener Saturday afternoon.
            With the win, the Huskies improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play.  The game was the season opener for the host Corsairs.
            The Huskies scored the game's first 15 goals and held the Corsairs scoreless until the final 15 minutes of play.  Seven different players figured in the scoring for Southern Maine.
            Graduate student Jennifer Darasz (Gorham, Maine) and junior Rachel Shanks (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) followed Farley on the score sheet with three goals and one assist apiece.  Senior Megan Violette (Portland, Maine/Deering) chipped in with two goals, and junior Evelyn Hinkley (West Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner Area) had a goal and two assists.
            Senior goalie Mariah Vaillancourt (Lewiston, Maine/Edward Little) picked up her second win of the season.  Vaillancourt played the opening half and posted one save.  Rookie Cece Racine (Lewiston, Maine/Lewiston) played the second half and made one save.
            Juniors Bella Mancini (Bellingham, Mass.), Hannah Niemi (Fairhaven, Mass.), and Kylie Dias (Fall River, Mass./Durfee) scored goals for the Corsairs.  Rookie goalie Tahlia Amaral (Acushnet, Mass./Fairhaven) recorded seven saves.
            Violette, Hinkley, Farley and senior Taylor Colangelo (Windham, Maine) scored in the opening four minutes to stake the Huskies to a 4-0 advantage, and the Huskies never looked back.  Farley score three more times in the opening half, and Darasz had all three of her markers in the opening 30 as USM built a 13-0 by the halftime horn.
            Farley and Shanks added goals in the second half to increase the lead to 15-0 before Dias put the Corsairs on the board with 14:49 to play.
            Southern Maine out shot UMD 26-8 and won the ground ball battle 23-18.  USM dominated the center circle winning 17 draw controls.  Darasz led all players with seven draw controls.
            Southern Maine returns to action next Saturday (2:00 p.m.) hosting Western Connecticut State University at Hannaford Field.  No spectators are allowed.  UMass Dartmouth is scheduled to host Eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday in a Little East Conference game.