FITCHBURG, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team posted a 14-10 victory over Fitchburg State University on Friday evening in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest at Elliot Field.
The Bears improve to 10-5 on the season and 4-1 in the MASCAC, while host Falcons fall to 7-6 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Junior Elizabeth Etheridge (Marshfield, Mass.) potted a game-high six goals to go along with two ground balls, two draw controls and one caused turnover, while sophomore Victoria McDonough (Marshfield, Mass.) notched six points on two markers and four assists in addition to four draws.
Bridgewater State took an early 4-0 lead on pair of goals from Ettridge and one each from McDonough and senior Gabby Reinold (Braintree, Mass.).
Fitchburg State battled back to knot the score (4-4) on markers from senior Carrie Long (Foxboro, Mass.), sophomore Nicole Kopacz (Tewksbury, Mass.), classmate Sarah Napolitano (Peabody, Mass.) and freshman Madison Alves (Braintree, Mass.).
The Bears closed out the half with a 3-0 run on goals by freshman Emily Hiller (Marion, Mass.), Ettridge and Reinold to take a 7-4 lead into the break.
The two teams exchanged goals over the first nine minutes of the second half with Alves making it a 9-7 game at the 21:07 mark.
Bridgewater then took control with a 5-0 run on a pair of strikes from Ettridge as well as goals from Hiller, Reinold and McDonough. McDonough's marker with 12:11 remaining capped off the run and gave the Bears a 14-7 lead.
The Green and Gold continued to battle though late in the frame with junior Anna Gagnon-Burch (Putney, Vt.), Napolitano and sophomore Tracy Long (Georgetown, Mass.) connecting on three consecutive goals, but Bridgewater State would hold on for the 14-10 victory.
Alves paced the Falcons offense, finishing with a team-best three goals and one draw control, while Carrie Long added to the mix with two scores, two ground balls, four draw controls and six caused turnovers.
BSU sophomore Hayley Barner (Westwood, Mass.) made 14 saves between the pipes to notch her tenth win of the season. Junior Marguerite Belcher (Quincy, Mas.) stopped eight shots for Fitchburg State in the setback.
The Falcons held a 33-25 shot advantage as well as a 15-11 edge in draws.
The game marked the 18th meeting of the two schools with the Bears holding a decided 17-1 advantage in the all-time series.
In upcoming action, the Falcons travel to Johnson & Wales University on Monday afternoon to take on the Wildcats at four. The Bears entertain the Vikings of Salem State University in a MASCAC tilt on Wednesday night at seven.