Box Score

BRISTOL, R.I. – Sophomores Grace Murphy (Montclair, Va.) and Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) each scored four goals in Nichols College's 20-12 loss at Roger Williams University in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) opener for both schools Wednesday night at Bayside Stadium.

Sophomore Sam MacMillan (Bridgewater, Mass.) added a goal and an assist for the Bison (2-5, 0-1 CCC) while sophomores Erica Antonison (Alberston, N.Y.) and Stephanie Mathewson (Simsbury, Conn.) also found the back of the net. Mathewson also collected a team-high three ground balls.

The Hawks capitalized on a pair of four goal runs to build a comfortable first-half lead. Devin Machette (Norwalk, Conn.) opened the scoring on an unassisted goal for the Hawks. Mathewson and MacMillan answered with goals to give the Bison the early 2-1 lead. 

The Hawks first scoring run that saw four players score one goal each. Machette added her second of the day and Danielle Neagle (Avon, Conn.), Kelsey Rahilly (E. Longmeadow, Mass.), and Lauren Piotrowski (Wakefield, Mass.) each scored their first of the contest to give the Hawks the 5-2 edge. Bufis scored the next two goals for the Bison at 19:45 and 16:25. The Hawks' Kristen Pingree (Georgetown, Mass.) split the Bufis goals with her first and Murphy chipped in for the Bison at 13:42. 

The Hawks closed the first half with their second four goal run to take a comfortable 10-5 lead. Neagle added her second and third of the day and Pingree netted her second beforeSamantha Davenport (Bethel, Conn.) concluded the run with her first mark of the evening.

The team traded goals for most of the second with only one unanswered three goal run in the half. Catherine Smeykal (Collegville, Pa.) opened the scoring in the second half at 29:12 to give the Hawks a goal lead and Rahilly added second of the evening to push the lead to seven. Murphy broke through for her second for the Bison at 24:01 and Makenzie Logan (Sussex, N.J.) answered sixteen seconds later for the Hawks. MacMillan and Davenport traded goals for their respective teams before Murphy added her second mark of the half.

Neagle, Jessica Searl (Glastonbury, Conn.), and Machette scored the next three goal to put the Hawks up 17-8. Bufis poured two more goals in for the Bison at 11:47 and 9:38 for the Bison. Logan found the net for RWU and her second of the game at 11:45.  Antonison and Murphy each scored one more time and Pingree put two more on net for the Hawks coming down the stretch.

Nichols was outshot 39-25. Freshman AnneMarie Fana (Lawrence, Mass.) was credited with eight saves in goal for the Bison. RWU's Justine Sullivan recorded seven saves in the win.

The Bison return to action on Saturday when they head to Boston for an 11 a.m. contest against CCC foe Wentworth. The Hawks head to the University of New England on Saturday.

Contributions from Roger Williams sports information