NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Smith College women's lacrosse team scored three goals in the first quarter and never surrendered the lead as they defeated the University of Southern Maine Huskies by a score of 8-4 on Thursday afternoon.
 
When and Where: March 16, 2023 – Northampton, Mass – Smith Turf Field
 
The Records: Smith: 3-3, Southern Maine: 1-4
 
The Goalies: 
Smith: Brooke Testa: 3-2, 12 saves, four goals allowed, .750 save percentage.
USM: Cece Racine (Lewiston, Maine): 1-3, 11 saves, eight goals allowed, .579 save percentage.
 
How It Happened:

• Sadie Tschider put Smith ahead 1-0 in the early minutes of the first quarter and the Pioneers scored again off a Caroline Sanders goal with just under three minutes left in the frame. They then added another goal in the final minute from Gia Arancio.
• Reese Gittelman assisted on the second and third goals for Smith while Aranico assisted on Tschider's opening goal.
• After eight shots over the first 20-plus minutes of play, graduate student Rachel Shanks (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) found the back of the net to cut the lead to 3-1 before Arancio scored her second goal of the game to bring the Pioneer lead back to three goals.
• Sophomore Anna Byers (Milford, Ct./ Joseph A. Foran) assisted on the goal by Shanks.
• Freshman Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) scored a free position goal in the first minute of the third quarter but the Pioneers replied with three unanswered goals before Hill scored for the second time in the quarter. Junior Paige Rinaldi (Freeport, Maine) added a goal for the Huskies in the third as well.
• Gittelman scored the only goal of the final stanza with the assist coming from Jennie Arancio.

 
Inside The Stats:

• Gia Arancio's four points from two goals and two helpers led all players followed by Gittelman with three points. Aranico also led all players in caused turnovers with three.
• Despite the score the Huskies dominated in draw controls and won 13 while only losing three. Sophomore Julia McKenna (Windham, Maine) won six while Hill recorded five draw controls.
• Smith collected 30 ground balls while Southern Maine corralled 18. Jennie Arancio led all players with six followed by Racine with five. In the fourth quarter the Pioneers won the ground ball battle 11-2 to widen the gap.
• The Pioneers caused 17 Husky turnovers while Southern Maine only caused three. In total the Huskies committed 23 turnovers and Smith committed 16.

 
Up Next: The Huskies will host Bridgewater State University on Saturday afternoon at 3PM at Hannaford Field.