By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team was stunned in the closing seconds by Worcester State University on Saturday at Mazzaferro Field.

The Bears dropped a 13-12 decision to the Lancers when Molly Witkowski (Greenville, N.Y.) scored unassisted with just two seconds remaining, sending BSU to its first loss in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

BSU had scored a pair of goals earlier in the fourth period to make it 12-12 before Witkowski scored her fourth goal of the game.

The Bears (4-7) are 1-1 in the MASCAC while the Lancers (6-4) were playing their conference opener.

Savannah Herrington (Kinnelon, N.J.) led BSU with five goals while Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.) had three goals and an assist and Camryn Gonsalves (East Bridgewater, Mass.) added two goals and two assists.

Abigal Wing (Griswold, Conn.) also scored four goals for the Lancers while Shea Jarvis (Auburn, Mass.) had two goals.

BSU was down, 12-10, entering the final period when Gonsalves scored an unassisted goal with 14:05 to go and McIntyre tied it with 2:33 remaining with a free position attempt.

The teams were even at 3-3 after one period with Witkowski and Hannah Erickson (Dunstable, Mass.) putting the Lancers up, 2-0, with goals 49 seconds part before Hannah Bowlby (Dalton, Mass.) and Herrington scored with 5:15 and 3:35 left, respectively.

Wing and Gonsalves exchanged goals in the final 2:21 of the period.

The Bears held an 8-7 lead at halftime with Herrington and McIntyre getting two goals each and Meredith Sylvia (South Dartmouth, Mass.) one in the period. The Lancers received two goals from Witkowski and one each from Wing and Meghan Bowen (Westfield, Mass).

Worcester State tied it at 8-8 with 14:31 remaining in the third period on a Wing goal. The Bears went up, 10-9, when Herrington scored twice sandwiched around a goal by Jarvis.

The Lancers finished the period with three straight goals in the span of 3:13 for the 12-10 lead.

Jarvis tied it with 5:19 remaining, then unassisted goals were scored by Ashley Hurley (Feeding Hills, Mass.) with 2:40 left and Wing with 2:06 to go.

BSU goalkeeper Brooke La Torra (Oak Park, Calif.) made 13 saves while Worcester State's Olivia La Velle (Peabody, Mass.) had seven stops.

Worcester held a 33-30 shot advantage for the game while Bridgewater finished with a 15-13 edge in draw controls. Ground balls were even at 15 apiece. The Lancers successfully converted 11 of 15 clear attempts while the Bears went just 10-for-17 on the clear.

Herrington led all players with a career-high 11 draws. McIntyre record a game-best five ground balls.

The Bears travel to New Hampshire Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game against Plymouth State while the Lancers are at Western New England for a 4 p.m. game on Thursday.