WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Led by a four-goal effort from freshman midfielder Emily Holland (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry), the No. 18 University of New Haven women's lacrosse team dropped a 15-10 decision to the No. 10 Pace Setters at Kathy Zolad Stadium. Holland's four goals comes one shy of tying her career-high set against Franklin Pierce earlier this season.
Holland was one of six Chargers who found the back of the net against the Setters with senior Jessica Mazliah (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) the only other to finish with a multi-goal game adding a pair of scores and three total points with an assist to her credit. Junior Mackenzie Reh (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) and sophomore Caroline Maher (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) each finished with two points on the night as both finished with one goal and one assist. Rounding out the Chargers scoring was sophomore Kendra Nolan (Oak Ridge, N.J. /Jefferson Township ) and junior Samantha Galler (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) who each scored once.
Sophomore goalkeeper Gianna Guerra (Thiells, N.Y./North Rockland) posted her fourth game of the season with double figure saves, closing out the night with 14 stops, one shy of her season-high set against Assumption. As a team, New Haven trailed in the overall shots column with a 39-23 margin in favor of the Setters. The Chargers did lead the way with 14 draw controls, all collected by three different players; five each from Nolan and Raven Linton (Lawrenceville, N.J./Notre Dame) and four credited to Reh.
Despite allowing the game-opening score from the Setters, the Blue and Gold opened up the game scoring four of the first five goals, taking a 4-1 lead with 13:12 to play in the opening half. Holland provided the first two scores for New Haven, both unassisted with the second coming on a free position attempt. Both of Holland's goals came less than two minutes apart.
Reh followed those two goals with her lone tally of the night, also coming on a free position attempt as the Chargers converted on their only player-up opportunity of the night. Rounding out the early scoring was the first of Mazliah's goals which came courtesy of some assistance from Maher.
After holding the Setters off the board for nearly 19 minutes, Pace kicked into gear in the latter moments of the opening half, rattling off the final five goals, taking a 6-4 lead into the break. Pace extended that rally with two more goals within the first two games of the second half, a total of seven straight before New Haven could break the momentum.
Mazliah would be the one to put a stop to that Pace run when she came across the arc and scored her second of the night. Pace answered that by chipping in the next two goals, before New Haven rallied for three of the next four. Included in those three was Holland's third of the night, securing her second hat trick of the season.
Trailing by six with 11:44 remaining, the Chargers would manage to score two of the final three goals of the night with Maher and Holland each scoring in the final 10 minutes to provide the final margin.
New Haven returns to Kathy Zolad Stadium for their second straight game under the lights on Thursday night when they close out their non-conference schedule with a visit from the STAC Spartans. Opening draw on Thursday is slated for 7:00 p.m.
