Women's Lacrosse Holds Off Fitchburg State, 13-12

FITCHBURG, Mass. –The visiting Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team held off Fitchburg State University, 13-12, in  a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) affair on Friday evening at Elliott Field.

The Bears improve to 6-7 on the season and 1-2 in the MASCAC with the win, while the Falcons fall to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Bridgewater State is now 22-1 all-time versus the Falcons dating back to 2008.

Delaney Langton (Scituate, RI) led the Bears with three goals, two assists, a ground ball, and two draw controls, while Merdith Sylvia (South Dartmouth, Mass.), Camryn Gonsalves (East Bridgewater, Mass.) and Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.) tallied two goals apiece. McIntyre added three ground balls and a team-best five draw controls including the 100th of her career. Sylvia also contributed three ground balls and three draw controls.

Cali Laakso (Fitchburg, Mass.) paced Fitchburg State with four goals, an assist, three caused turnovers and a pair of draw controls. Delaney Ponder (East Bridgewater, Mass.) checked in with two goals, two ground balls and seven draw controls for the Falcons.

Bridgewater State seemed well in control of the game as the Bears led 7-2 after the first quarter. Gonsalves and McIntrye each potted a pair of goals in the opening period while Langton tallied a goal and two assists.

The two teams exchanged goals in a low-scoring second quarter with Langton converting for the Bears and Laakso finding the back of the net for the Falcons.

Trailing 8-3 at the break, the Falcons outscored the Bears, 4-2, in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 10-7 heading into the final 15 minutes. Laakso capped off the third-quarter scoring with just one second showing on the clock.

Goals by Sylvia and Langton within the first five minutes of the fourth quarter gave the visitors a 12-8 lead. The Falcons then reeled off three straight markers by Jessica St. George (Dracut, Mass.), Nicole Orlowski (Ellington, Conn,) and Laakso to close the gap to 12-11 with 3:39 left to play. Melanie McClay (Plymouth, Mass.) gave Bridgewater State a two-goal advantage (13-11) with 2:08 remaining. Laakso poured in her fourth of the game with 33 seconds left to make it 13-12. McIntyre, however, won the ensuing draw control and the Bears ran out the clock.

Bridgewater State held the advantage in shot (32-23), draw controls (16-13) and ground balls (28-24). The Bears converted 19 of 26 (73.1%) clear attempts, while the Falcons went 18-for-24 (75%) on the clear.

Olivia Kerrigan (Braintree, Mass.) made seven saves to record her fourth win of the season between the pipes for Bridgewater State. Brooke Williams (South Dennis, Mass.) turned aside 15 saves in the setback for Fitchburg State.

In upcoming action, the Bears travel to Salem State University on Wednesday evening for a six o'clock MASCAC game with the Vikings. The Falcons entertain University of Maine Farmington on Monday evening also at six.