PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The University of Maine at Farmington women's lacrosse team secured their first win of the season in impressive style, defeating Rhode Island College 17-4 on the road. The victory marked the first win of Head Coach Kaya Backman's coaching career.
The Beavers jumped out quickly and never looked back. Ruby McMinis (Wells, Maine), the Beavers' leading goal-scorer from last season, netted her first goal of the 2024 season just 2:25 seconds into the game off a feed from Emilie Crocker (Edgecomb, Maine).
The Beavers rapidly extended their lead to three with a pair of goals just 16 seconds apart. Sophomore Ashlee Farrar (South Paris, Maine) found the back of the net for the first time this season, and McMinis doubled her goal total, making it 3-0 Farmington just 4:16 into the game.
Emily Marino caught a feed from Giana Franco and rifled a shot past Beaver goalkeeper Kate Nowell (York, Maine) to make it 3-1 with 8:39 left to play in the opening quarter.
McMinis completed her hat-trick at the 3:52 mark of the 1st quarter, and Skye Cotnoir (West Gardiner, Maine), making her collegiate debut, received a pass from Abby Trefsger (South Portland, Maine) and beat the Anchorwomen goalkeeper to secure her first collegiate goal, extending the Beavers' lead to 5-1.
Free-position goals from Trefsger and Farrar in the final minutes of the 1st quarter helped the Beavers open up a significant 7-1 lead.
The Beavers maintained their momentum in the 2nd quarter, scoring four more goals to extend their lead to 11-1 heading into halftime. Crocker scored her first goal of the season on a free-position shot, McMinis added her 4th goal of the game, Trefsger converted another free-position shot, and Farrar registered her first collegiate hat-trick, contributing to the Beavers' lead.
Sadie Harvey (Bethel, Maine), also making her collegiate debut, scored a pair of goals in the 3rd quarter. Harvey's second goal came off an assist from first-year Emma Dunn (Farmington, Maine), who registered her first collegiate point. Marino scored her second goal of the game, but the Beavers went on to take a 13-2 lead heading into the 4th quarter.
The 4th quarter was more of the same for the Beavers. Farrar scored her fourth and fifth goals of the game, and Trefsger notched the hat-trick marker in the opening four minutes and 16 seconds, extending Farmington's lead to 16-2. Riley Forrest (Portland, Maine) scored her first goal of the season to close out the scoring for the Beavers.
Marino scored two more goals in the final three minutes of the game to make it a 17-4 game.
The Beavers controlled the majority of the play from the opening whistle, outshooting RIC 43-9 in the game. The Beavers were successful on all 15 of their clear attempts and held a 25-17 advantage in ground balls.
Farrar finished with a career-high five goals and added an assist, McMinis added four goals, and Trefsger finished with three goals and two assists to lead the Beavers. Nowell picked up three saves in the net to register her first victory of the season.
UP NEXT
The Beavers return to action next Saturday on the road against Anna Maria for a 2:00 PM contest against the Amcats.
