CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lesley University senior Ryan Richardson (Santa Barbara, Calif.) recorded his first career hat-trick to carry the Lynx to a 4-1 victory over Pine Manor College in non-conference action tonight at Edward Field. Winners of three of their last four matches, the Lynx improve to 4-7-0 on the season while the Gators drop to 7-4-1 overall.
Lesley junior Harrison Sidell (Newhall, Calif.) opened the scoring in the 20th minute of play. The junior received a flick pass from classmate Wilton Zuo (Boston, Mass.) at the top of the box and drove a slicing blast into the top right corner of the goal. The goal was Sidell's third in the past two games and fifth on the season.
The Lynx wasted little time in adding a second tally as Richardson deposited his first goal of the night just 53-seconds later. The senior captured a loose ball along the left side of the 18-yard box and sent a high, lofting shot over the outstretched arms of Pine Manor keeper Oscar Estrada (North Port, Fla.) and into the top right corner of the goal.
The Gators held a 7-5 shot advantage in the opening half but failed to generate any threatening scoring opportunities. Their best chance came when sophomore Jahvar Gayle (Bloomfield, Conn.) sent a free kick from 35 yards at the Lynx cage, but Chase Donley (Elizabethtown, Pa.) dove to his right to corral the shot and keep the Gators scoreless.
Second half was tilted in Lesley's favor as the Lynx held the run of possession and a 14-1 shot advantage. Richardson put the Lynx up 3-0 at 54:20 when he unleashed a rocket from 25-yards into the top left corner before capping the scoring for the hosts at 70:29 when he one-timed a pass from Zuo in from 8 yards out.
The Gators would register their only goal of the evening when sophomore Jahvar Gayle (Bloomfield, Conn.) buried a penalty kick following a Lynx foul in their own box in the 73rd minute.
Donley made three saves to earn his third straight victory for the Lynx while Estrada made six saves for the Gators in the loss.
The Lynx will return to New England Collegiate Conference action on Friday night when they host Newbury College at 8:00p on Edward Field.