BOSTON, Mass. (February 17, 2026) – Junior Ava DelliCompagni had a hand in 11 of Emerson College's 14 goals, assisting on the gamewinner with ten seconds to play, to lead the Lions to a 14-13 victory over Simmons College in the non-conference women's lacrosse season-opener for both at Lester J. Rotch Field tonight.
DelliCompagni filled the stat sheet with five goals and six assists for her 11 points, adding six draw controls, four ground balls and two caused turnovers. She assisted on the gamewinning goal from sophomore Laura Lovell with ten seconds to play, as Lovell finished the night with three goals and an assist for the Lions.
Sophomore Laina Gustafson added three goals, two caused turnovers and two ground balls, while senior Holland Rutter chipped in with a pair of goals, two draws and a caused turnover. Senior Ellie Spotts finished with 14 saves in the Emerson goal.
Lovell scored the gamewinner with ten seconds to play and finished with three goals and an assist. |
First year Bridget McNamara played a role in six of Simmons 13 goals in her collegiate debut, finishing with five goals and an assist with nine draw controls, three ground balls and a caused turnover. Classmate Emily Horn netted four goals for the Sharks, while sophomore Everett Garner registered two goals and an assist with six draws, four caused turnovers and three ground balls. First year Amelia Colon finished with six saves in the Sharks goal.
DelliCompagni scored a goal and then turned provider on Lovell's gamewinner with ten seconds to play as Emerson rallied from a goal down with 3:56 to play to earn the season-opening win. The game featured seven ties and six lead changes as neither team led by more than two goals all night. DelliCompagni's fifth goal of the contest knotted the score (13-13) with 2:14 remaining after Simmons had rallied from two goals down early in the fourth quarter to grab the lead with Garner's second goal of the game with 3:56 on the clock.
DelliCompagni then set up Lovell's winner as Emerson won its season-opener for the fifth-straight year. The goal capped a fourth quarter in which the teams combined for seven goals and both teams trailed. Lovell and DelliCompagni each scored in the opening 2:13 of the final frame to give the Lions a two-goal lead (12-10). Simmons followed with three straight to grab its fourth lead of the contest (13-12) after Garner's second of the night with four minutes remaining.
Up Next
Emerson (1-0, 0-0 NEWMAC) returns to action in eight days when it visits Gordon College for a non-conference matchup next Wednesday, February 25, at 6 p.m. The Lions return to Rotch Field on Saturday, February 28, to host Curry College at 1 p.m. Simmons (0-1, 0-0 GNAC) hosts Wellesley College on Saturday at noon.
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