Box Score Coach Walker's postgame thoughts

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--The sunny Florida skies heated up the lacrosse sticks of Meaghan Fileti (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Palos Verdes) and Becky Bracken (Barrington, R.I./Barrington) as the duo combined for seven goals in Smith's 9-7 win over Gordon College on Monday afternoon.

The Fighting Scots (0-2) opened the scoring not two minutes into the contest, as a failed Smith clear attempted resulted in an unassisted goal by Jordan Alexander at the 28:44 mark.  Smith (1-1) responded with three consecutive tallies, starting with Bracken's first, set up by Sofia Nakhnikian-Weintraub (Eugene, Ore./South Eugene) with 24:38 left in the first half, and after Gordon's Kari Christensen hit the post, Fileti doubled the lead with her third goal of the season. 

Gordon kept Smith at bay, as goalie Danielle Maguire denied consecutive shots by Alayna Liptak (Northampton, Mass./Northampton) and Mollie Major (Williamstown, Mass./Mt. Greylock), but Bracken gave Smith a 3-1 lead with a free position goal with 9:42 to play in the first period.  Gordon drew within 3-2 on Alana Woods' marker, but Smith took back a two goal margin with some fine play to end the period.  Alina Pechacek (Andover, Mass./Phillips Academy), making her first start of the season, started the sequence with a save on Krysti Leach, and Fileti picked up the ground ball, followd by Bracken's third goal of the half to give Smith a 4-2 lead they would take into halftime.

The teams traded the next five goals to open the second half, with Jocie Knaus' marker pulling Gordon within 6-5 with 22:22 left in the game.  Bracken then turned provider, setting up Liptak for a goal at 15:33, and after Nakhnikian-Weintraub shot wide, Fileti gave Smith its largest lead with a goal at 10:26 that made it 8-5.  Gordon put on one final rally, with Alexander netting twice, but captain Liz Mauro (Manalapan, N.J./Rutgers Prep) put the game out of reach with her first goal of the season that made it 9-7 with 2:43 to play.  Pechacek stuffed Knaus in the final two minutes, as the Pioneers' defense limited Gordon to two shots in the final seconds.

Bracken finished with four goals, while Fileti added three.  The pair are tied for the team lead in scoring with five goals apeice.  Pechacek made five saves to earn the win.

Smith will continue their Florida trip with a contest against Curry College on March 16 at 4 p.m.