Women's Lacrosse Holds Off UNE, 11-9

BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team picked up its first win of the season as the Bears held off the University of New England, 11-9, on Friday afternoon at Blue Bolt Field.

The Bears improve to 1-2 on the season while the host Nor'easters fall to 1-1. The win marked the 97th coaching victory for BSU skipper Erica Adams.

Senior Meredith Sylvia (South Dartmouth, Mass.) paced the visitors with four goals and an assist to go along with three draw controls and a pair of ground balls.

The Bears also received three points apiece (2G, 1 A) from sophomore Sophia Fleurent (Fairhaven, Mass.) and junior Erin Henn (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) Fleurent led all players with seven draw controls, including the 100th of her career, and added three caused turnovers.

Sophomore Chloe Ryan (Westchester, N.Y.) led the way for UNE with three goals and an assist. Senior Halle Huizenga (Monkton, Vt.) also notched a hat trick for the Nor'Easters.

The Bears led 5-3 late in the second quarter as Sylvia scored three of her game-best four goals in the first half. Ryan, however, cut the deficit to 5-4 at the 3:03 mark of the second period, and freshman Ainsley Kearney (West Springfield, Mass.) converted off an assist from junior Molly Henderson (Scarborough, Maine) with just seven seconds left showing on the scoreboard to knot the score heading into the break.

Third period goals by sophomore Lizzy Deacon (Amesbury, Mass.), sophomore Taylor Carter (East Walpole, Mass.) and Henn put the Bears back on top, 8-6. The Nor'easter rallied again in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter as Henderson and Huizenga found the back of the net to tie the game at 8-8.

Just 21 seconds later, Sylvia set up Henn to reclaim the lead for the visitors with 9:09 remaining in the game. Henn returned the favor at 7:46 with Syvia potting her fourth goal of the game. Fourty-three seconds later, Fleurent's unassisted tally gave the Bears a three-goal cushion (11-8).

Ryan capped off the scoring with 2:11 left to play. UNE had three scoring chances in the final 35 seconds but could not convert.

Bridgewater finished with a 24-21 shot advantage as well as a 15-7 edge in draw controls.

BSU sophomore goalkeeper Sara Skaff (Lowell, Mass.) made five saves while her counterpart, freshman Olivia Ferraro (Burrillville, R.I.), turned aside nine shots.

The Bears are slated to be back in action next Friday afternoon when they host the University of Southern Maine at four o'clock.