By Jim Fenton

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The Bridgewater State University lacrosse opened a spring break trip with a loss on Tuesday morning.

Rochester Institute of Technology opened an 11-0 halftime lead on the way to a 19-2 victory over the Bears at the Countryside Sports Complex.

BSU is 1-4 while the Tigers improved to 6-0.

Senior Zoe Heffernan (Holiaday, Utah) had four goals and an assist for RIT while senior Grace Validzic (Geneva, N.Y.) added three goals and an assist.

The Bears were behind, 16-0, before getting on the scoreboard early in the fourth period.

Sophomore Lizzy Deacon (Amesbury, Mass.) scored for BSU from freshman Eva Nunes (Whitman, Mass.) 10 seconds into the final period.

BSU junior Rosemary Lally (Marion, Mass.) added an unassisted goal with 5:37 remaining.

The Tigers had a 5-0 lead after one period with goals from Validzic, Heffernan, junior Sarah Hallinan (Arlington, Va.), senior Adele Jones (Catonsville, Md.) and senior Morgan Nichter (Scotia, N.Y.).

Validzic and Heffernan scored in the second period while senior Eliza Barton (Schuylerville, N.Y.) had a pair of goals and senior Kate Trojan (Rowley, Mass.) and junior Emma Ripley (Severna Park, Md.) had a goal each.

In the third period, Hefferan scored twice while Validzic, sophomore Gianna DeLucia (Waterloo, N.Y.), and senior Serafina Kiselgof (West Henrietta, N.Y.) had goals.

The RIT fourth-period goals were by Trojan, Hallinan and freshman Alice Nitcher (Scotia, N.Y.).

Senior goalkeeper Ellie Ruddy (Tega Cay, S.C.) stopped three shots in 55:40 for the Tigers and freshman Grace Riley (South Kingstown, R.I.) played the final 4:20.

BSU starter Sara Skaff (Lowell, Mass.) had six saves in 36:35 and junior Gianna Scarpelli (Medford, Mass.) made three saves in her 23:25.

The Bears finish the Florida trip Thursday at 10 a.m. against Washington College of Maryland.