Flinn Powers Goucher Women's Lacrosse Past Averett, 15-8

BALTIMORE, Md. – Emily Flinn (Ashland, Va./Patrick Henry) registered two goals and one assist to help Goucher College race out to a 7-1 lead after the first half while Flinn finished with three markers and three assists to power the Gophers past Averett University 15-8 in non-conference women's lacrosse action on Monday.

Flinn scored the first goal of the game and then dished out an assist on the goal that gave Goucher the lead for good with 17:55 left in the first half and start a 6-0 run to end the opening frame. The sophomore then scored unassisted with 2:40 left in that spurt. She then added two assists and a goal in the second half.

It was Flinn's second hat trick of the season while the three assists and six points were a season high. It was her fifth hat trick of her career and the sixth time she has dished out three helpers in a game. She has posted six goals and five assists in two games against teams from her home state and has nine goals and six assists for 15 points this season.

Julia Gazzola (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) added a hat trick along with six draw controls and two ground balls in the contest. Gazzola, who was facing her former high school teammate in between the pipes, notched her third-straight hat trick and her eighth career game with three or more tallies.

Shannon Stull (Westminster, Md./Francis Scott Key) also had a hat trick in the game and now has 22 three-goal performances in her career. Mackenzie Nase (Weare, N.H./John Starks Regional) notched her third two-goal game of her career and first of 2020 while Alyssa Long (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) recorded two goals for the third-straight contest and the 16th of her career.

Flinn got the scoring started off a feed from Gabrielle Umstead (Chadds Ford, Pa./Garnet Valley) at 28:25. After the Cougars tied the game, Flinn returned the favor to Umstead at 17:55 to give Goucher the lead for good and start a 6-0 run to end the half. 

Stull scored unassisted at 15:42 and Gazzola found the twine unassisted at 11:45 before Stull converted a free-position shot at 6:54. Flinn notched her second tally of the day unassisted at 2:40 and Long capped the first half scoring unassisted at 1:58 for a 7-1 lead at the break.

Averett scored three of the first four goals with Camryn Agostino (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) posting the only Gopher marker at 22:28 in this span to cut the margin to 8-4.

Goucher then scored the next five markers to take a 13-4 advantage. Nase found the back of the net for the first time off a pass from Flinn at 17:52 before Gazzola scored the next two tallies off an 8-meter shot at 15:47 and a feed from Flinn at 12:57. Nase (12:14) and Long (11:55) each scored unassisted to give the host a nine-goal lead.

After the Cougars scored twice, Stull competed her hat trick unassisted at 8:40 before Agostino helped Flinn compete her hat trick at 5:40 for a 15-6 lead. Averett scored twice in the final five minutes to set the final score at 15-8.

Soleil Gagne (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth) paced the defense with three ground balls and two caused turnovers while Katarina Molchen (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley) registered two ground balls and two caused turnovers on her birthday. Nase added five draw controls and two ground balls.

Abby McHerron (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills) made eight saves in the winning effort.

Goucher returns to action on Saturday at Neumann University. Game time is 1 p.m.