Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Kaitlynn Stevens and Taylor Scialdone scored less than a minute apart late in the game to break a 17-all tie, and Western New England University held on for a 19-18 win over the University of New England in a Commonwealth Coast Conference women's lacrosse match Saturday (April 13) afternoon at Golden Bear Stadium.

With the win, the Golden Bears (9-4, 4-1 CCC) now stand alone in second place in the conference standings. The loss drops the Nor'easters to 5-7 overall, 3-2 in CCC action.

Scaildone finished with a match-high six goals to go with three assists for Western New England. Stevens, Jessica Scannapieco, Kelsey Sherman and Brooke Kumnick scored three goals apiece in the winning effort.

Hannah Tavella tallied five goals to lead the way for UNE, while Gina Newsome added four and assisted on three others. Nikki Smith registered a hat-trick, and Rachel Schwaner, Emily Lodge and Hannah Warren notched two markers apiece.

The first half was a wide-open offensive period. Scialdone and Sherman each scored a pair of goals to help get WNE off to a 5-0 lead less than five minutes into the contest.

UNE would score seven of the next eight goals to lead, 7-6, before the Golden Bears grabbed momentum to build a 13-10 advantage heading into halftime.

Western New England racked up 31 shots in the first frame, including eight free-position attempts.

The hosts scored three of the first four goals out of intermission to push their lead to 16-11, before the Nor'easters came storming back. Newsome scored twice during a 6-1 surge, which culminated with a goal from Tavella to tie the game at 17 with 7:36 remaining.

Stevens put WNE ahead for good at 5:49 and Scialdone added a much-needed insurance goal less than a minute later. Warren scored with 1:10 left for UNE for the final tally of the match.

Winning goalkeeper Emily Castleman had 10 stops. Scannapieco piled up 15 draw controls and five ground balls for the Golden Bears.

Courtney Kendall amassed 17 saves and a team-high five ground balls for UNE. Schwaner and Johanna Currier contributed four draw controls apiece.

The Nor'easters return to action Tuesday when they face first-place Endicott College at 4 p.m.