LEICESTER, Mass. – A four-goal second half outburst lifted Lesley University past host Becker College 5-1 in the regular season finale for both squads this evening on Alumni Field. The Lynx, now winners of six straight and nine of their last ten, improve to 13-4-2 overall and 8-1 in New England Collegiate Conference play while the Hawks stumble to 9-8-1 on the season and 4-4-1 in conference play.
Both sides have qualified for the upcoming NECC Championship Tournament that will kick off on Saturday. The Lynx have locked up the second seed and will play host to seventh-seeded Newbury College at 7:30p. Sixth-seeded Becker will travel to Regis College for a battle with the third-seeded Pride at 5:00p.
Lesley got on the board in the 30th minute when Karlie Rubin (San Diego, Calif.) centered a pass to Jordan Mitchell (Sachse, Texas), who found the bottom left corner of the Becker net.
Sophomore forward Samantha Bessey (Algonquin, Ill.) gave the Lynx some breathing room with a pair of goals just 35 seconds apart at the beginning of the second half. Bessey tallied what proved to be the game winner at the 2:16 mark of the half when Rubin fed her next to the right post. Bessey put Lesley in front 3-1 on a sequence of passes from Lindsey Bos (Velencia, Calif.) and Rubin in the 48th minute.
Rubin would extend the Lesley lead to 4-1 when Bos split the Hawks defense with a pass, propelling Rubin for a breakaway goal. The Lynx wrapped up their scoring in the 55th minute when Xaelel Allen-Caballero (Henrietta, N.Y.) redirected a shot into the Becker net off of the right post.
The Hawks avoided the shutout when Ciara McKissick (Charlton, Mass.) headed a Megan Bealka (Freetown, Mass.) kick into the back of the net to make the final score 5-1.
Lilly Donovan (Newburyport, Mass.) earned the win and made two saves for the Lynx, while Becker goalie Jordyn Martel (Chicopee, Mass.) turned away nine shots in the loss.
Portions of this release courtesy Becker College Sports Information.