WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College lacrosse fell 16-9 in a NEWMAC battle with Smith College on Senior Day at Butler Stadium on Saturday.

Prior to the game, Wellesley recognized the contributions of its three seniors; Tamasyn Hill (Boise, Idaho), Ella Kim (Bellevue, Wash.) and Anna Blake Patrick (Portland, Ore.).

The Bears (8-6 Overall, 4-3 NEWMAC) were led by a combined 10 goals from senior Caroline Sanders (Orange County, Calif.) and sophomore Layna Fitzgerald (Indianapolis, Ind.). Sanders was the draw control leader with eight and junior Leigh Hillmanno (Yardville, N.J.) caused three turnovers. Senior Brooke Testa (Pittstown, N.J.) made three saves while classmate Shannon Houtenville (East Windsor, N.J.) stopped five shots.

Junior Katie McCabe (Jupiter, Fla.), sophomore Amelia Woodard (Montpelier, Vt.) and first-year Milica Simic (Park Ridge, Ill.) all scored twice for the Blue (4-9 Overall, 2-6 NEWMAC) Patrick made the most of senior day with a career-high 13 saves. First-year Eliza Wysong (Kansas City, Mo.) captured six draw controls.    

The visitors got on the board 39 seconds into the contest when Sanders found the back of the net. Wellesley answered with a free position tally, 40 seconds later, by first-year Simic. The goal was Simic's 40th of the season. A couple of minutes later, the Blue took a 2-1 lead off the stick of sophomore Charlotte Petersen-Kopman (St. Louis, Mo.). Fitzgerald knotted the score for the Bears, five minutes later. Sanders' second tally of the frame then put Smith back on top, before Wellesley closed the quarter with a tough-angled shot into the upper left corner of the goal by Woodard that evened the game at 3-3 heading into the second. 

Junior Kyra Hawk (San Jose, Calif.) scored twice for Smith early in the second quarter, once on a shot that barely beat the shot-clock buzzer. Simic got the Wellesley deficit back to one at 5-4 with a tally. The final two goals of the half both came courtesy of Smith, one for Sanders and one for sophomore Jenna Paczkowski (Jupiter, Fla.). Smith led 7-4 after 30 minutes of play.

An early third quarter goal for the Bears by senior Emma Butterick (Windsor, Conn.) made it a four-goal affair. McCabe and Wysong both connected for the Blue, making the scoreboard read 8-6 Smith and giving the hosts hope. The visitors spent the last ten minutes of the third period going on a 3-0 run to put distance between the two teams. Fitzgerald, Sanders and Hawk all converted on shots.

Wellesley never got back within five, with Smith outscoring the Blue, 5-3, in the final frame. Woodard and McCabe both scored second goals of the contest while sophomore Merin Shell (Upper Arlington, Ohio) added one. 

Wellesley will host Mount Holyoke College at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, April 15. Smith returns home to welcome Emerson College at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 18.