The Marist women’s lacrosse team dropped their season opener to the University of New Hampshire 19-8 Friday afternoon.
In the non-conference matchup, graduate attacker Kelly Trotta scored her first hat trick of the season for Marist, but also sustained an injury in doing so.
Marist came into the game with something to prove. After a disappointing 2023 finish, the team seeks to mesh the presence of their returning stars with a new head coach in Keith Detelj.
The last time Marist went head-to-head with New Hampshire came way back in 2006, and today was only the third meeting of all time between the two programs. After fiery pregame introductions, the Red Foxes were ready to take on their American East opponent. Yet that fire was quickly put out, as junior attacker Allie Connerty netted the first shot of the game for the Wildcats in the first minute and a half of action.
Marist looked to grab that spark right back. Freshman attacker Greta Govoni forced a turnover, and officials gave New Hampshire’s Rose Pavuk a green card for offsides. Senior attacker Maddie Schrader had a free position chance, but junior goalkeeper Maria Hagan stopped her in her tracks. The Wildcats then trotted down the field, and graduate attacker Katie Taranto stuck it in the back of the net to put her team up 2-0.
Moments later, graduate attacker Kerri Gutenberger took matters into her own hands, scoring the first goal of the 2024 season for Marist on a smooth dodge around New Hampshire defenders. Hagan then stopped Marist on another free position, and graduate attacker Olivia Arntsen received a yellow card which Taranto capitalized on, scoring her second to make it 4-1.
Gutenberger slipped in a hockey goal, flipping the ball off the ground and in, but UNH still led 4-2 heading into the second quarter. Marist then began to establish some momentum, as Govoni put away her first collegiate goal off a slick spin move around multiple defensemen. Just 30 seconds later, Trotta netted her first goal, cutting the deficit to one.
Both teams then traded a pair of goals, with Trotta notching her second, but the Wildcats began to pour it on. Connerty earned a hat trick, and Marist trailed 9-5 entering halftime.
“Well, I think we got out of a little bit of a groove. We need to stay a little bit more disciplined going back into the game,” said Detelj.
The backslide continued in the second half for Marist; a quick goal by Taranto coupled with multiple infractions against Marist put the Red Foxes in a big hole. Trotta did her best to reignite the Marist attack, as she dove across the crease for her first hat trick of the year.
Despite the score, Trotta did not come away unscathed. On her way down, she collided with a loose Wildcat stick and appeared to be visibly shaken up. She remained in the game and was examined during a break in play.
“I think I’m gonna be okay. I think it’s just a little muscular thing. Got a little bit of a tight neck there,” said Trotta. “So hopefully some stretches, maybe a little massage and I’ll be right back in there.”
Yet after a change of possession, Trotta grabbed at her shoulder and ran to the sideline. Ultimately, she did not see the field for the rest of the game and could be seen working out her shoulder with a trainer.
Arntsen followed her captain’s example shortly thereafter, drilling one into the back of the net to make it an 11-7 game. Freshman midfielder Gabby Kingston received a chance to make it even closer, but on her free position attempt, Hagan stopped her yet again. With one quarter remaining, New Hampshire led 12-7.
Just 20 seconds into the final quarter, junior attacker Abby Hawkes put New Hampshire up by six, giving the Wildcats their largest lead of the game. Penalties held Marist back, with junior defender Sophia Georgopolous accumulating the team’s fifth yellow card. On the ensuing woman-up opportunity, Connerty put her fourth goal of the game away.
“We really need to stay out of the box and that’s gonna be something we just talked about,” said Detelj. “But ultimately, you know, most of the game, some of the stuff that we were doing were the reasons why we were getting ourselves into trouble.”
As the clock kept ticking, the Wildcats put the game out of reach; Multiple Marist fouls in the defensive zone gave way to easy scores, and just like that the deficit had reached 10.
“I feel motivated by our teammates and by the performance and how the outcome of this game,” said Trotta. “They have a full week to prepare for the next game and I want to win, and I think my teammates are all feeling the same way.”
“I think we got a lot of good things out of this game, and we’ll try to readjust the things that we maybe didn’t do as well. So it’s a great start,” added Detelj.
The Red Foxes have nine days until their next match, when they will travel to Vestal, New York on Sunday, Feb. 18 to take on the Binghamton BearCats. Gametime is slated for 1 p.m.
Edited by Luke Sassa
Photo from Marist Athletics via Stockton Photo
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