BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) set career highs with seven goals, two assists, and nine points, while sophomore Erica Antonison (Albertson, N.Y.) had a career-high six goals as the Nichols College women's lacrosse team outlasted Wentworth Institute of Technology, 20-17, in overtime, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference game played on Sweeney Field.
The game, which saw 10 ties, opened with Bufis scoring on a free position shot just 32 seconds into the contest. Wentworth scored the next two goals as senior Liv Gardner (Westford, Mass.) and freshman Pam Mudge (Pembroke, N.H.) put the Black & Gold on top, 2-1.
Nichols scored four of the next five markers, with Atonison scoring twice, and led 5-3 with 16:33 left in the half. The Bison would hold a 9-6 lead with five minutes left after sophomore Sam MacMillan (Bridgewater, Mass.) scored her second goal in a 27-second span. Goals by Mudge and sophomore Heather Saroch (Arnold, Md.) pulled the Leopards to within one at 9-8 with 2:01 left and Nichols clung to a one-goal lead at the break.
A pair of man-down goals by the Leopards 1:31 apart gave the hosts a 10-9 lead to open the second half. Senior Milera Baric (Burlington, Vt.) scored 1:25 into the second stanza to tie it before sophomore Jessica Houghton (Billerica, Mass.) gave Wentworth a 10-9 lead. After the Bison tied the game on a Bufis goal, the Leopards got goals from senior Julie Azzinaro (Westerly, R.I.) and sophomore Alexandrea Banks (Ellington, Conn.) to take a 12-10 lead with 23:54 left.
The Bison went on a 4-0 run – with Bufis scoring twice – and took a 14-12 lead on an Antonison goal with 15:31 left. Banks and Houghton countered for the Leopards, who tied the game with 11:52 left.
Neither team would hold a lead of more than one the remainder of regulation and Bufis' two consecutive goals with 5:12 and 2:22 left gave Nichols a 17-16 lead. However, Mudge scored on a feed from Baric with 1:41 left to tie the game and send it into overtime.
In the extra session, Bufis gave the visitors the only goal they would need, scoring from senior Erica Silvia (Middletown, R.I.) 1:12 into the period. MacMillan and Antonison each scored free position goals to round out the scoring.
MacMillan added three goals while freshman Alexa Smith (Salem, N.H.) had a goal and three assists in the win. Antonison had six draw controls and junior Shelby Aminti (Pepperell, Mass.) and sophomore Stephanie Mathewson (Simsbury, Conn.) had eight and seven ground balls, respectively. Sophomore Nia Kelly (Cary, N.C.) picked up the win after making nine saves in 36 minutes of action. Freshman AnnMarie Fana (Lawrence, Mass.) played the first half, making a pair of saves.
Houghton recorded 10 points, coming on five goals and five assists to go along with seven draw controls. Mudge added four goals, Banks three, and Baric had a goal and two assists. Banks also had five ground balls and six draw controls. Freshman Hayley Patton (Cranston, R.I.) made 12 saves.
With the win the Bison snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 3-5 (1-1 CCC). Nichols hosts Western New England on Tuesday. Wentworth falls to 1-4 (0-2) and hosts Endicott, also on Tuesday.
