GAME INFORMATION
Score: Smith 12, Mount Holyoke 9
Records: Smith College 8-6, 3-4; Mount Holyoke College 3-12, 1-6
Location: Northampton, Mass.

The Smith College lacrosse team beat league rival Mount Holyoke College, 12-9, Wednesday evening in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action. With the victory, the Pioneers clinched a spot in the conference playoffs for the first time since the 2012 season. 

Smith improves to 8-6 overall and 3-4 in league action, while the Lyons drop to 3-12 on the year and 1-6 in the NEWMAC.

SMITH HIGHLIGHTS

• Junior Chloe Harris (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) finished with four goals and two assists, and three ground balls.
• Senior Caroline Myran (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends School) registered three goals, an assist, and eight ground balls.
• Senior goalkeeper Sarah Price (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) made 10 saves in the win.

MOUNT HOLYOKE HIGHLIGHTS

• Meryl Phair led the Lyons offense with three goals, an assist, and two ground balls.
• Julianna Rankin added a goal and four caused turnovers.
• Goalkeeper Mia Wysockie recorded 12 stops in net.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior Caroline Myran (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Friends School) opened the scoring for the Pioneers 3:01 into the game on an unassisted tally. First-year Meryl Phair responded six minutes later 6:32 later before Smith rattled off three consecutive goals to take a 4-1 lead with 17:51 on the clock. Over the next 10:24, Mount Holyoke would score five of the game's next six goals to go ahead 6-5. Leila Kouakou and Phair went back-to-back before Smith first-year Kaitlin Chui took a Mercedes Wooley and sent it past the MHC keeper. Sophomore Kelly Hammond gave the visitors a 6-5 lead with 7:27 left in the half but the Pioneers string together two goals in the final minute of the half to go into the break leading 7-6.

Coming out in the second half, Harris accounted for the next two goals as she found Chiu for the first and then added one of her own to give Smith a 9-6 advantage. Sophomore Reinna Torrez-Miner netted her first of the game followed by two more markers from the Smith offense for their largest lead of the game at 11-7. Sophomore Julianna Rankin and junior Deyscha kept the game in reach for the Lyons with consecutive goals, but Smith sophomore  Bella Ferraro put the game out of reach with her unassisted tally with 45 seconds remaining in the game.

UP NEXT
Smith will play their final regular season NEWMAC game Saturday at MIT. The first draw is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is an NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log on to smithpioneers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.