WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--Curry College broke open a 1-1 game with a glut of goals in the first half en route to dealing a 19-11 defeat to the Smith College lacrosse team on Wednesday afternoon.  With the win, Curry captured the “Spring Fling” Beach Division Championship.

The Colonels (4-0), who have scored at least 18 goals in each of their four games thus far this season, opened the scoring with a goal from Ana Bottary less than 30 seconds into the game.  Smith (1-2) tied up the score when Becky Bracken netted the first of her four goals of the game at the 27:36 mark, but Curry netted the next nine goals, including three from Bottary and two more from Ashley Hansbury to open up a 10-1 advantage.  Bracken got one goal back with an unassisted tally with 29 seconds left in the first half, but Curry carried a 10-2 lead into halftime.

Hansbury netted the first goal of the second half, and after Sofia Nakhnikian-Weintraub pulled one goal back, Barretto scored to make it a 12-3 contest with 26:44 left.  Free position goals from Meagan Fileti and Bracken pulled Smith to within 12-5 with 21:50 to play, but Curry scored four of the next five goals to open on a 15-6 lead on another goal by Hansbury.

Smith made one final rally, as Nakhnikian-Weintraub set up Alanya Liptak for a goal at 12:17, then scored on a free position attempt that made it a 16-10 contest with 11:05 remaining, but Smith could not get any closer.

Bracken added to her team lead in goals with four, while Nakhnikian-Weintraub and MK Pasini each netted a brace, and Eve Whitehouse scored her first of the season.  Fileti also had two assists and scooped up a team high six ground balls to go with her two goals.  Hansbury and Bottary scored six each for Curry. 

Smith got a strong effort in goal from Alina Pechacek, who made 12 saves in 47 minutes of action.  Meredith Kallfelz made four saves while playing 12:42.  Curry’s Maria Lynch made nine saves in net for the win.

The Pioneers will return to New England to prepare for a home date with SUNY-New Paltz on Tuesday, March 22, at 4:30 pm.  The Colonels travel to Salve Regina University on Saturday, March 19, for a 12:00 p.m. game start.

(Game Recap Courtesy of Smith Sports Information)

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