Box Score

BRISTOL, R.I. -- The University of New England women's lacrosse team began the second half with two scores to assume a five-goal advantage, then held on down the stretch to pick up a 16-14 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory over Roger Williams University Saturday afternoon (Mar. 31) at Bayside Field.

The triumph was the sixth consecutive for the Nor'easters (8-2, 2-0 CCC), and ended a series of eight straight setbacks to the Hawks. RWU drops to 3-8 overall, 1-1 in league play.

UNE carried a 10-7 lead into the final stanza before goals by first-year Nikki Smith (Shapleigh, Maine) and sophomore Hannah Tavella (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) scored around the 25 minute mark to bump the margin to its largest (12-7).

Two goals each way kept the difference at five (14-9), until Roger Williams tallied three markers in a span of 1:08 to reduce the deficit to two with 6:50 remaining.

Smith stopped the run with her third score of the contest at the 5:16 mark, and Tavella needed only another 32 ticks to give the visitors a four-goal edge (16-12) with her fourth of the day. The Hawks added two in the last minute to provide the closing score.

Senior Jesalyn Dvorak (Windsor, Conn.) matched Smith's output with three goals in the match, as did first-year Gina Newsome (Danbury, Conn.), who finished with a game-best six points (3 goals, 3 assists) on the afternoon. Senior Jenna Barton (Wolfeboro, N.H.) had a pair of scores.

For RWU, Samantha Davenport recorded a contest-high five goals, and Dana Wilfahrt chipped in with three goals while registering two assists.

Roger Williams gained its only lead of the day with the first score, but soon fell behind after seeing four straight goals go for the Nor'easters. UNE never relinquished the advantage the rest of the way.

Sophomore Samantha St. Pierre (Mechanic Falls, Maine) turned aside six shots in goal for UNE, and classmate Johanna Currier (Holderness, N.H.) forced four caused turnovers in support of the defense.

The Hawks, who received nine saves from Justine Sullivan, host Salve Regina University on Tuesday.

Big Blue is off for a week before returning home next Saturday (Apr. 7) for a date with Nichols College (3 p.m.).