NORTH ANDOVER, MASS.  – The Monmouth women's lacrosse team rallied from down two in the fourth quarter to take down Merrimack, 13-10, on Friday afternoon in the season opener for both squads.

The Hawks (1-0, 0-0 CAA) ended the game with five straight goals to earn the victory in a contest that featured seven ties. Shea Berigan led Monmouth with a four-goal, two-assist performance, while Lauren Rismani had two scores and three helpers in her Hawks debut. Eight different players found the back of the net for Monmouth, while four Hawks had multi-point efforts. In net, Katie Sullivan had her 11^th career game with double digit saves, stopping 13 of the 23 shots she faced.

Despite four early saves from Sullivan, Merrimack jumped out to a 2-0 lead 5:07 into the game. The Hawks responded with two goals in less than 30 seconds to tie the game. Grace Curtin broke the ice for Monmouth at the 6:25 mark before freshman Marlina Grimm hit twine in her first career game at 5:59, knotting the game at 2-2.

The Hawks took their first lead of the game early in the second period when Berigan ripped one home, but the Warriors quickly responded with two in a row to go back ahead, 4-3.  Sophomore Paige Kidd scored for the first time in her career to tie the game midway through the period before Rismani gave the Hawks the lead late in the quarter. Merrimack got one back in the final minute to tie the game, 5-5, at the intermission.

Merrimack opened the second half with a quick score to go back on top before the Hawks buried three in a row. Curtin scored at the 11:55 mark off a pass from Berigan and Sophia Lymberies finished on the free position opportunity, giving the visitors a 7-6 edge. Berigan's second of the day made the lead two, but the Warriors responded with two scores of their own in the final six minutes of the quarter to tie the game at 8-8, heading to the fourth.

After two more goals in the opening three minutes of the fourth from Merrimack to go up 10-8, Rismani stopped the run at the 10:45 mark before Berigan completed her hat trick 30 seconds later, bringing the score level for the seventh time in the contest. The Warriors had two clean looks on goal with five minutes to play, but strong saves from Sullivan, her 12^th and 13^th stops of the game, kept the game level.

Berigan broke the deadlock with 4:27 to play with her fourth score of the afternoon and Brooke Lacey put the Hawks up by two. An empty-net goal from Gen Mullervy closed out a 13-10 season-opening victory.

Notes

• Shea Berigan led Monmouth with a six-point outing, scoring four goals and dishing a pair of assists. The six points match her career high. Berigan was credited with the game-winning goal for the Hawks.
• Lauren Rismani matched her career best with five points, scoring twice and dishing three helpers in her Monmouth debut.
• Grace Curtin scored two goals and added an assist for her first multi-point effort of the season
• Brooke Lacey kicked off her senior season with a goal and an assist. The midfielder also scooped three groundballs and had three draw controls.
• Freshman Marlaina Grimm and sophomore Paige Kidd each scored their first career goals. Sophia Lymberis and Gen Mullervy also found the back of the net for Monmouth.
• Lymberis had a team-high four ground balls.
• Monmouth outshot Merrimack, 34-31.
• The Hawks were 17-20 on clears while the Warriors converted 15-18 clear attempts.
• 10 of Merrimack's 20 turnovers were caused.
• The game featured seven ties.
• Monmouth improves to 1-0 for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. The Hawks are 7-2 in season openers since Jordan Trautman was hired as head coach in 2018.

Up Next
Monmouth will return to action on Wednesday for its home opener when it faces La Salle. The game is set to start at 2 p.m. on FloCollege and NBCSP.