University of Massachusets Athletics
Saturday, March 9
Fairfax, Va.
12 PM
University of Massachusetts
2-4, 1-0
20
at
8
George Mason
6-2, 0-1
1
2
3
4
F
UMass
2
5
6
7
20
George Mason
1
3
2
2
8
Women’s Lacrosse Downs George Mason In A-10 Opener, 20-8
March 09, 2024 | Women's Lacrosse
Skylar Simmonds scored five goals while Fiona McGowan added three goals and four assists in the league opener.
FAIRFAX, Va. – The University of Massachusetts women's lacrosse team pulled away for a 20-8 win over George Mason in the Atlantic 10 opener on Saturday afternoon. Skylar Simmonds scored a season-high five goals while Fiona McGowan finished with seven points on three goals and four assists for the Minutewomen.
McGowan assisted on both of UMass' goals in the first quarter, finding Ava Connaughton early for the game's opening goal before connecting with Charlotte Wilmoth moments later to put the Minutewomen ahead 2-0 with 11:31 to go in the first.
The Minutewomen scored five unanswered goals after the Patriots tied it at 2-2 early in the second quarter. Lauren Tolve's first of two goals on the day began the stretch before McGowan found Shields with her third assist of the day to make it 4-2. Simmonds' first goal of the day pushed the UMass advantage to three before McGowan's fourth and final assist found Kassidy Morris for her first of the day. McGowan's four assists moved her into a tie for seventh most career assists at UMass with 83.
Morris capped off the stretch with her second of the game before George Mason scored two straight to make it 7-4 at the break. UMass outshot the Patriots 17 to nine in the first 30 minutes and finished the day with a 35 to 19 shot advantage.
George Mason made it a two-goal game with two straight goals in the opening five minutes of the second half, bringing the score to 8-6 with 10:07 left in the third. Simmonds completed her hat trick with 8:26 to go and scored under a minute later to bring the count to 10-6. Morris' completed her fifth consecutive hat trick with 1:40 to go and netted her team-leading 20th of the season to late in the quarter to make it 12-6. McGowan capped off a six-goal quarter for the Minutewomen with 18 seconds to go.
The Minutewomen added six more in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Patriots, beginning with Shields' second off a Wilmoth assist less than a minute in. Simmonds fifth and final goal made it a nine-goal lead before Tolve's second of the day put UMass ahead 16-6. Charlotte Clavelli scored her first of the season with 8:59 to go to make it 18-6. Bridget Valentine picked up her first collegiate point with an assist to McGowan while Brigid Welch netted her first collegiate goal with 1:03 to go to bring the score to a 20-8 final.
Catrina Tobin finished with five saves in goal for the Minutewomen while Heather Clark and Layton Nass each caused a pair of turnovers for the UMass defense.
UMass returns home on Saturday, March 16 for the A-10 home opener against Saint Joseph's. The Minutewomen and the Hawks begin play at Garber Field at 1 p.m.
McGowan assisted on both of UMass' goals in the first quarter, finding Ava Connaughton early for the game's opening goal before connecting with Charlotte Wilmoth moments later to put the Minutewomen ahead 2-0 with 11:31 to go in the first.
The Minutewomen scored five unanswered goals after the Patriots tied it at 2-2 early in the second quarter. Lauren Tolve's first of two goals on the day began the stretch before McGowan found Shields with her third assist of the day to make it 4-2. Simmonds' first goal of the day pushed the UMass advantage to three before McGowan's fourth and final assist found Kassidy Morris for her first of the day. McGowan's four assists moved her into a tie for seventh most career assists at UMass with 83.
Morris capped off the stretch with her second of the game before George Mason scored two straight to make it 7-4 at the break. UMass outshot the Patriots 17 to nine in the first 30 minutes and finished the day with a 35 to 19 shot advantage.
George Mason made it a two-goal game with two straight goals in the opening five minutes of the second half, bringing the score to 8-6 with 10:07 left in the third. Simmonds completed her hat trick with 8:26 to go and scored under a minute later to bring the count to 10-6. Morris' completed her fifth consecutive hat trick with 1:40 to go and netted her team-leading 20th of the season to late in the quarter to make it 12-6. McGowan capped off a six-goal quarter for the Minutewomen with 18 seconds to go.
The Minutewomen added six more in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Patriots, beginning with Shields' second off a Wilmoth assist less than a minute in. Simmonds fifth and final goal made it a nine-goal lead before Tolve's second of the day put UMass ahead 16-6. Charlotte Clavelli scored her first of the season with 8:59 to go to make it 18-6. Bridget Valentine picked up her first collegiate point with an assist to McGowan while Brigid Welch netted her first collegiate goal with 1:03 to go to bring the score to a 20-8 final.
Catrina Tobin finished with five saves in goal for the Minutewomen while Heather Clark and Layton Nass each caused a pair of turnovers for the UMass defense.
UMass returns home on Saturday, March 16 for the A-10 home opener against Saint Joseph's. The Minutewomen and the Hawks begin play at Garber Field at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
UMASS
GMU
Shots
35
19
Turnovers
10
12
Caused Turnovers
8
5
Draw Controls
19
12
Free-Position Shots
0
0
Ground Balls
26
12
Game Leaders
G
5
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
3
CT
0
G
4
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
1
CT
1
G
3
A
4
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
3
CT
0
G
2
A
0
FO
-
Pen
-
GB
2
CT
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's LacrosseA
/ Women's Lacrosse
G
/ Women's LacrosseM
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
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