NEWTON, Mass. – For the first time since 2012, the Mount Ida College women's lacrosse team had a major award winner as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning. Freshman attack Alyssa Kelly (Lee, Mass.) was recognized as the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie of the Year on top of being named to the 1st Team GNAC All-Conference.
In 2012, Amanda Bowen (Randolph, Vt.) was the GNAC Rookie of the Year before being named a First Team selection from 2013 to 2015.
In her first season in Mustang City, Kelly scored at least three goals in nine games en route to helping the Mustangs qualify for the GNAC tournament for the second consecutive season. Kelly also had six games in which she scored five goals or more including a stellar nine goal and one assist performance against Norwich University back in April.
Kelly, who totaled 56 goals (4th in GNAC) and 23 assists (7th in GNAC), good for 79 points (6th in GNAC) also led the team in helpers as well as ground balls (59) and draw controls (62) to go along with 28 caused turnovers, also a team high. Of Kelly's 56 goals, eighteen of them were of the free position variety while she accounted for 157 of the team's 444 shots on the season, good for a 72.0% shots on goal percentage.
Senior Briana Barker (Westerly, R.I.) was named to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team as she finished the season with seven goals and two assists.
The Mustangs ended their season with a record of 4-13 (3-6 GNAC) in which they qualified for the GNAC tournament, eventually being downed by Emmanuel College in the quarterfinals.