HILTON HEAD, S.C. – Senior Averi Baker shattered the program career points record and her three goal game lifted the Husson University women's lacrosse team to a 12–8 victory over Cornell College on Tuesday afternoon at Crossings Park in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Baker sits at 193 points in her career, which bested the mark of her head coach Amanda Deshaies '18, '20G, who recorded 189 points during her playing career as an Eagle.
Husson (3-1) opened the game with early pressure and struck first when Baker finished a pass from senior Laela Martinez with 12:25 remaining in the first quarter. Just over five minutes later, sophomore Adella Mabee doubled the lead, converting a feed from Baker to make it 2-0.
After Cornell (0-4) cut the deficit to one midway through the opening period, the Eagles responded quickly. Freshman Shannon McDonough restored the two-goal cushion off an assist from Martinez before senior Madison Lower finished another Baker assist to push Husson's advantage to 4-1 at the end of the first quarter.
Husson extended the lead early in the second quarter when sophomore Kate Boehmcke found the back of the net on a pass from Martinez to make it 5-1. Cornell answered with a goal before Martinez scored unassisted with 7:24 remaining in the half, sending the Eagles into the break with a 6-3 lead.
Cornell trimmed the deficit to two early in the third quarter, but Husson responded with a decisive offensive surge. Martinez started the run with a goal off a Mabee assist, and Baker followed with back-to-back goals to stretch the lead to 9-4. After Cornell answered once, Boehmcke scored unassisted before setting up senior Gracie Gardner just 45 seconds later to cap a five-goal quarter and give the Eagles an 11-5 advantage entering the final frame.
Cornell attempted to rally in the fourth quarter with two quick goals, but sophomore Reese Sullivan halted the momentum with an unassisted tally with 9:07 remaining to push the Husson lead to 12-7. The Eagles held off the remainder of the comeback attempt to secure the four-goal victory.
Baker led Husson with three goals and two assists for five points, while Martinez also recorded five points on two goals and three assists. Boehmcke finished with two goals and two assists, while Mabee added a goal and an assist. Gardner, Lower, McDonough and Sullivan each scored once for the Eagles.
Defensively, Husson controlled key possession categories, finishing with 34 ground balls and 13 draw controls. Martinez led the Eagles with six caused turnovers and six ground balls, while Boehmcke added four draw controls and four ground balls.
In goal, sophomore Finley Pomerleau played all 60 minutes and made five saves to earn the victory.
As a team, Husson outshot Cornell 26-18 and held a 22-12 advantage in shots on goal while also forcing 38 turnovers in the contest.
The Eagles close out their spring break trip on Thursday with a contest against Western New England University at 9:30 a.m.
