The push toward the first winning season in almost a decade for the Rhode Island College women’s lacrosse team is being aided by a quintet of Cranston natives, all of whom have made significant contributions this season.

At the forefront is former Cranston West standout Jessica Ricci, who has provided a one-two punch in the attacking zone with teammate Danielle Landon.

Ricci is two off Landon’s team lead with 33 goals, while also assisting on seven other markers.

The ex-Falcon has etched her name onto the score sheet in all but one contest thus far, with the high-water mark coming in RIC’s 18-3 dismantling of Elms on March 23 when Ricci put in six goals.

At the opposite end of the field, Taryn Carbone is doing her part to ensure her goal isn’t breached by enemy attackers.

The Cranston West alumna and senior co-captain has started every game between the pipes, chalking up 107 saves with a 12.26 goals against average.

In front of Carbone is a third former Falcon, Sam Nolte, who leads the Anchorwomen in ground balls (41) and caused turnovers (25).

Although she is the fulcrum of the RIC rearguard, Nolte finally scored her first goal at the collegiate level during the aforementioned Elms contest, firing home just before halftime to cap off a 12-goal opening half for the Anchorwomen.

Harmony Tillison leads the charge for the two Cranston East graduates on the roster, and has chipped in with 12 goals and a pair of assists.

The other ex-Thunderbolt, Sophie Kanno, has scored once and assisted on three other tallies, while scooping up 19 ground balls.

The math is simple for the 6-5 Anchorwomen: win the final three games of the regular season and the program’s first winning campaign since 2005 will become a reality.

The quest for RIC to achieve the feat begins on Wednesday evening with a home contest versus UMass-Dartmouth, before wrapping up the regular season this weekend with games against Plymouth State and Southern Maine.

Notes

Cranston West graduate Shane O’Connell has thrown out 11 baserunners from behind the dish for the University of Rhode Island nine this spring . . . Ex-Falcon Rob Clark has made seven relief appearances for Johnson & Wales this season, striking out three and picking up a save in six innings of work . . . Cranston West alums Anthony Crudale and Garrett Demers are playing for American International College’s baseball squad. Crudale is hitting .381 in 11 games, while Demers is batting .208 with a pair of triples in 12 games.