SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (April 22, 2026) – Mount Holyoke College held off an Emerson College rally in the final seven minutes to secure a 12-11 victory in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's lacrosse finale for both on the MHC Turf tonight.
Sophomore goalkeeper Valeria Bolanos' seventh save of the game with 17-seconds to play sealed the win for Mount Holyoke. She also collected three ground balls for the Lyons.
Senior Emi Bisson had a hand in 11 of Mount Holyoke's 12 goals on the night with three goals and eight assists, adding a caused turnover, while classmate Elle Mader netted four goals. Sophomore Juliana Spaulding chipped in with a goal and assist, seven draw controls, six caused turnovers and three ground balls for the Lyons.
Gustafson scored four goals, including her 50th of the season against Mount Holyoke (PHOTO BY Andrew Monson) |
Junior Ava DelliCompagni led Emerson with five goals and an assist for six points and will enter her senior season just a point shy of 200 for her career with 114 goals and 85 assists, also collecting eight draw controls and a caused turnover tonight. Sophomore Laina Gustafson added four goals, including her 50th of the season, with a caused turnover, and enters her junior year just three points shy of 100 for her career (82 goals, 15 assists).
Senior Ellie Spotts posted her seventh double-digit save total of the season in goal for Emerson, finishing with 14 stops, three ground balls and two caused turnovers in playing the full 60 minutes in her final collegiate outing.
Mount Holyoke claimed the win in a contest that featured six ties and three lead changes. Emerson led or was tied following every quarter of play in the contest, holding a 3-2 lead after DelliCompagni's first goal of the night with 1:17 to play in the first quarter and 8-7 edge after her fourth of the night capped a four-goal run for the Lions with 2:39 remaining in the third.
Emerson and Mount Holyoke scored four goals apiece in the first half, but the Lyons scored three-straight to open the third quarter behind a goal and two assists from Bisson over a three and a half minute span. Emerson answered with its four-goal run in which DelliCompagni scored three, including back-to-back markers 18-seconds apart to push the Lions back in front (8-7) heading to the fourth.
Mader scored a woman-up goal 1:09 into the fourth to knot the score and then Bisson pushed Mount Holyoke back into the lead (9-8) less than three minutes in. Spaulding extended the lead to two goals 37 seconds later before Gustafson pulled Emerson back within a goal with her 50th of the season 14-seconds after that.
Mader and Bisson provided a needed three goal cushion (12-9) with 7:39 remaining with goals 48-seconds apart. Emerson rallied again behind goals by Gustafson and DelliCompagni to draw within one with 1:19 on the clock. DelliCompagni corralled the ensuing draw control after her 49th goal of the season and then caused a turnover after the Lions initial shot went wide. Bolanos stopped Gustafson's bid to force overtime and Mount Holyoke was able to see the game out from there.
Emerson finishes off its 2026 season with a 4-13 record overall, including a 0-10 mark in the NEWMAC. Mount Holyoke wraps up its season with an 8-7 record overall, 3-7 in the NEWMAC.
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