BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The visiting Salve Regina University women's lacrosse team held on for a 15-13 win over Bridgewater State University on Thursday evening at Mazzaferro Field.
The Seahawks improve to 5-1 on the season while the Bears fall to 2-4. The win marked Salve's first over Bridgewater since 2012 as the Seahawks snapped a five-game losing streak against the Bears. Bridgewater holds a 17-3 lead in the all-time series with an 11-2 mark at home.
Grace Haesche (Warwick, N.Y.) was terrific between the pipes for Salve. The junior netminder made 15 saves on the evening including some key stop down the stretch. Eleven of Haesche's 15 saves came in the second half, seven in the fourth quarter.
Junior midfielder Stella McCormack (East Hampton, N.Y.) paced the Seahawk offense with four goals and three assists to go along with four draw controls. Salve also received three goals and a pair of assists and five draw controls from junior midfielder Samantha Moleti (Township of Washington, N.H.) as well as a hat trick from junior attack Edie Threshie (Stratford, Conn.). Junior midfielder Cameron Baston (Plantsville, Conn.) checked in with a goal and three helpers in addition to a game-high seven draw controls.
Senior attack Savannah Herrington (Kinnelon, N.J.), junior midfielder Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.) and junior attack Camryn Gonsalves (East Bridgewater, Mass.) notched four goals apiece for the Bears. McIntyre also dished out an assist and corralled four draw controls. Junior attack Katy Shaw (Centerville, Mass.) chipped in with a goal.
Salve led 8-6 at the intermission as the Seahawks capitalized on an 11-5 edge in draw controls over the first 30 minutes.
McCormack potted a pair of goals in the first half and dished out three assists. McIntyre paced the Bears with three first half goals to go along with a helper.
The Seahawks scored the first five goals of the third quarter to take a commanding 13-6 lead. McCormack and Moleti tallied two goals apiece during the 5-0 run.
A pair of Herrington strikes to close out the third quarter cut the BSU deficit to 13-8.
The Bears carried the momentum into the final period as Herrington and McIntyre each found the back of the net to close the gap to 13-10.
Salve junior attack Kayli Garcia (Southington, Conn.) ended the 4-0 BSU run as she converted off an assist from Moleti with 7:37 showing on the scoreboard to give the visitors a four-goal advantage at 14-10.
Gonsalves answered for the Bears just 37 seconds later, but Moleti got one back for the Seahawks at the 5:44 mark.
Gonsalves scored twice in a 2:27 span to get the deficit under three goals for the first time since the second quarter. Salve, however, won the ensuing draw and basically took up the entire 90-second shot clock before turning the ball over. The Bears had two shots on frame in the final minute, but Haesche turned aside both shots to secure the 15-13 win.
Salve held a 19-12 edge in draw controls on the evening while Bridgewater finished with a 31-28 shot advantage. The Seahawks converted just 1 of 4 free position attempts while the Bears went 6-for-11 on the free position.
Two BSU goalkeepers combined to make five saves in the setback. Junior keeper Brooke La Torra (Oak Park, Calif.) came on to start the second half and made four saves in 30 minutes of action. La Torra was making her first appearance of the season.
The Bears host MIT on Friday afternoon at four o'clock. The Seahawks travel to Wellesley College on Saturday afternoon to take on the Blue at one o'clock.