Box Score

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. -- Sophomore Kelly Burke (Georgetown, Mass.) and junior Sarah Livingston (Westford, Mass.) combined for 13 goals as Salve Regina University assumed an eight-goal lead in the second half before having to hold off the University of New England for a 22-19 The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) win in women's lacrosse action Friday evening at Gaudet Field.

With the Seahawks up 21-13 with 11:22 left on the clock, a goal by UNE junior Jessy Dvorak (Windsor, Conn.) 28 seconds later got the Nor'easters rolling and back into the match.

After a stretch that saw three more go in for the visitors to only one for Salve, making it 22-17, sophomore Cara Cole (Norwood, Mass.) tallied back-to-back scores 11 seconds apart to reduce the deficit to three with 4:11 to go. UNE would not get any closer before time expired.

Burke recorded a game-high seven goals to go with two assists for the home team, and Livingston added four assists to her six-goal total for a match-best 10 points. Sophomore Megan Clancy (Chelmsford, Mass.) registered three scores to go along with five draw controls in support.

Junior goalie Natalie Balletta (Leominster, Mass.) made seven saves to get the Seahawks to 1-2 on the season (1-0 TCCC).

For UNE (1-2, 0-1 TCCC), senior Danielle Cate (Boscawen, N.H.) scored five times, while Dvorak added four markers and a game-high seven draw controls. Cole finished with three goals, and first-year Hannah Tavella (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) chipped in with two.

Salve raced out to a 6-1 cushion less than seven minutes into the contest, behind three goals from Livingston. The Nor'easters rallied to pull with two (8-6) after about 20 minutes of play on a goal by Dvorak, before the hosts pushed the margin to four (11-7) at the break.

The Seahawks found the back of the cage for the initial five markers of the second period to grab their largest lead of the match (16-7), setting up UNE's comeback effort.

SRU is off until Tuesday, when it visits Bridgewater State University for a 6 p.m. non-conference tilt.

Big Blue, which received eight saves from first-year Samantha St. Pierre (Mechanic Falls, Maine), will play a neutral site game against Mount Holyoke College on Wednesday (7 p.m.), on the campus of McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.