MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Bridgewater State University outscored Eastern Connecticut State University 8-1 over the final 18 minutes and posted an 18-8 non-conference women's lacrosse victory on Tuesday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.
Bridgewater (4-3) never trailed after scoring the first three goals over the first 76 seconds, but needed a run of three straight goals from freshmen Melissa Renauld (Framingham, Mass.) and Alex King (Weymouth, Mass.), and senior Taylor Clancy (Braintree, Mass.) after Eastern (1-6) had sliced a five-goal deficit to three, 10-7, on senior Kelsea Burkhardt's (Old Saybrook, Ct.) first goal of the season ten minutes into the second half.
The Warriors had three opportunities to cut deficit to two but missed the cage twice and had one shot saved by Bridgewater freshman goalie Allie Forman (Marblehead, MA), before the Bears responded with Renauld's 17th goal of the season that made it 11-7 with 17:42 left. Clancy then won the ensuing draw and quickly fed King, who potted her 19th goal of the season. Following a flurry of turnovers, Clancy capitalized on an extra-man opportunity with a free-position goal – her 17th of the season – that pushed the Bridgewater lead to six, 13-7, with 16:16 left.
King then struck for her team-leading 20th and 21st goals minutes later to spark a game-ending surge of five straight goals as the Bears pulled away for their third straight win over Eastern.
Clancy led Bridgewater with three goals and five assists, won four draws, and picked up 12 ground balls. Junior Riley Cachelin (Westwood, Mass.) converted four goals while adding three assists in an attack which featured eight different players contributing goals or assists.
Senior Erin Conn (Moriches, N.Y.) won ten of Eastern's 16 draws, with senior Ashley Wolk (Barrington, R.I.) winning two draws, picking up four ground balls and scoring twice. Freshman Paige Schneider (East Lyme, Ct.) led the Warriors with three goals.
Forman made nine saves to even her record at 2-2. BSU sophomore Lauren Geary (Hull, Mass.) tallied a goal and posted three ground balls and five draws. Geary is now within 17 draws of Shannon Manning's (2007-10) all-time program mark of 231
Eastern hosts Rhode Island College Saturday at 1 p.m. in its Little East Conference opener. Bridgewater entertains non-league foe UMass Dartmouth on Thursday night at seven.