THE BASICS:

- Score: Assumption 14, Merrimack 8

- Record: Assumption (9-7, 7-6 NE10), Merrimack (4-13, 2-11 NE10)

- Location: Worcester, Mass. (Multi-Sport Stadium)

The Lead: Assumption never trailed in the contest and never let its lead slip lower than two over the final 50 minutes of play to earn a crucial 14-8 NE10 victory over Merrimack on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

- Assumption scored the first two goals, on tallies by Sarah Reilly (Fairfield, Conn. / Fairfield-Warde) and Callie Dwyer (Merrimack, N.H. / Merrimack), to take a 2-0 lead in the opening five minutes. Merrimack answered with a goal at 23:54 but Reilly made it 3-1 a minute later and Caitlin Graves (Ashland, Mass. / Ashland) extended it to 4-1 with 21:22 left in the half.

- The Warriors closed the gap to 4-2 before consecutive goals by Reilly and Dwyer pushed the lead to 6-2 with 13:36 remaining. Merrimack responded with two goals over the next four minutes, before Amanda Burns (Billerica, Mass. / Billerica Memorial) stretched the lead back to three and Graves made it 8-4 with just 1:47 left. The Warriors did add a goal in the final 12 seconds to go into the break down 8-5.

- Merrimack opened the second half scoring at 27:57, but Quincy Wilkins (Wilbraham, Mass. / Minnechaug) answered for the 9-6 lead. Tori Russo (South Windsor, Conn. / South Windsor) then made it 10-6 with 15:23 left as the two teams traded goals over the next eight minutes. With 7:20 left, Jenny Bush (Kennebunk, Maine / Kennebunk) stretched the lead to 12-8 and Graves and Reilly each added goals in the final seven minutes to propel the Hounds to a 14-8 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

- Assumption outshot Merrimack 33-21 in the contest and picked up more ground balls (17-13) while causing 15 turnovers as a team. Russo and fellow senior Emily Sousa (Bristol, R.I. / Bay View) each had a pair of caused turnovers.

- Reilly paced the Hound offense with four goals, one assist and one draw, while Wilkins posted one goal and three assists. Graves added three goals and two assists while Burns posted two goals, two assists and four draw controls.

- Senior Jaclyn Chirco (Hopkinton, Mass. / Hopkinton) was dominant in net as she made 13 saves while allowing just eight goals. Lauren Trepaney took the loss as she stopped 12 shots but gave up 14 goals.

- The win gives Assumption seven conference victories for the first time in program history. They also move into a tie for sixth place in the conference standings with Bentley, but own a tiebreaker as they beat the Falcons 11-10 earlier this year.

UP NEXT:

- Assumption returns to action on Wednesday, May 3 when the team will play New Haven in the NE10 Quarterfinals at 7 pm.

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