THE BASICS:
- Score: No. 18 Assumption 14, No. 21 Merrimack 13
- Records: Assumption (13-4, 9-4 NE10), Merrimack (8-8, 8-5 NE10)
- Location: Worcester, Mass. (Multi-Sport Stadium)
- The Lead: No. 18 Assumption led 14-8 with ten minutes left in regulation, before 21st ranked Merrimack stormed back with five goals, including the last one with 21 seconds left, however, the Hound defense made one last stand to secure the 14-13 victory Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Merrimack grabbed a 1-0 lead just 24 seconds into the contest, however, senior Sarah Reilly (Fairfield, Conn. / Fairfield-Warde) answered with consecutive goals over the next four minutes for a 2-1 lead. Kailyn Hart (Cohoes, N.Y. / Shaker) added two goals and Reilly deposited one more for a 5-1 Assumption advantage at 22:35. The Warriors ended the run one minute later, but Allison Foley (Walpole, Mass. / Walpole) and Hart each scored for a 7-2 lead through 18 minutes of action.
- Merrimack went on a 4-1 run and held the Hounds scoreless for over ten minutes to close the gap to 8-6 with 5:09 remaining. Reilly halted the drought, but two more Warrior goals trimmed the deficit to just 9-8 with two minutes left. Reilly tallied her fifth goal with 22 seconds left to provide the 10-8 halftime lead.
- Reilly scored twice in the opening 12 minutes of the second half to push the lead to 12-8. Emily Spath (Franklin, Mass. / Franklin) added consecutive goals over a one-minute span to take a 14-8 lead with 11:31 left. Merrimack scored their first goal of the second with 8:11 left and then tallied three more over the next six minutes for a 14-12 contest. The Warriors pulled within one, 14-13, with 21 seconds left and won the ensuing draw. However, a last-second shot went wide and the Hounds were able to run out the clock and secure the victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Assumption outshot Merrimack 33-30 in the contest and picked up three more ground balls (19-16), though the Warriors won more draw controls (17-12). The Hounds did have 11 caused turnovers.
- Reilly scored seven goals with one assist for eight points, to go along with two draw controls. She pushed her career total to 265 points, setting a new program all-time scoring record. Her 91 points this season (66g, 25a) broke the previous single-season record of 88 which she set last year. Reilly's 66 goals matches the single-season program record set by Amy McNeil in 2013.
- Hart came through with three goals and one assist while Spath totaled four points on two goals and two assists. Defensively, Marran Oakman (Kennebunk, Maine / Kennebunk) had six draw and one ground ball, while Grace McDermott (Franklin, Mass. / Franklin) added two ground balls and three caused turnovers. In net, Allie Collins (Natick, Mass. / Natick) made 12 saves and allowed 13 goals to secure her 12th win of the year. Lauren Trepany took the loss for Merrimack as she stopped 13 shots and gave up 14 goals.
- Assumption's nine conference victories to end the regular season is a new program record, surpassing the previous mark of seven. The team's 13 victories overall is also the best in school history, three more than the prior record of ten set in 2015.
UP NEXT:
- Assumption returns to action on Wednesday when the team enters the NE10 Tournament as the No. 5 seed and will play at No. 4 Bentley.
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