Box Score

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. - Sophomore Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) scored six goals and classmate Grace Murphy (Monclair, Va.) added four goals as the Nichols College women's lacrosse team snapped a three-game losing skid a 17-14 win over Salve Regina University in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action Wednesday afternoon at Gaudet Field.

Freshman Alexa Smith (Salem, N.H.) also found the back of the net three times for the Bison, who defeated the Seahawks for just the second time in program history to improve to 4-8 (2-3 CCC) on the season. Sophomore Erica Antonison (Albertson, N.Y.) scored a pair and freshman AnneMarie Fara (Lawrence, Mass.) recorded 10 saves.
 
Salve Regina (2-7, 0-4 CCC) received six goals from senior Jennifer Jones (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and three from sophomore Gina Tortorici (Deer Park, N.Y.).
 
"It was a good, hard-fought win," said Bison head coach Damir Pesa. "We started out a little slow and found ourselves down 7-2, and when I called timeout, I told them that they were a better team than they were showing and to pick it up. Salve Regina was directing the tempo, and we had to pick it up and play our game. After that, we fought back and tied the game before halftime. The girl's confidence grew from there." 
 
Freshman Abigail Tepper (Foxboro, Mass.) put Salve Regina on the scoreboard 1:28 into the game off a feed from junior Alyssa Corvi (Barrington, R.I.) to give the Seahawks a quick 1-0 lead. Jones and junior Grace Kelly (Auburn, N.Y.) then scored back-to-back to push the Seahawk lead to 3-0. Antonison broke through for the Bison at 17:51 of the opening frame to cut the Salve Regina lead to 3-1.
 
With 12:09 to go in the first half, Jones netted her team-leading 27^th goal of the season to extend the Seahawk lead to 7-2 before Nichols closed the half on a 5-0 run to send the game into halftime tied at seven. Murphy and Bufis sparked the run with two goals apiece.
 
Murphy and Bufis each scored to open the second half and give Nichols its first lead of the game at 9-7. Tortorici responded with her first goal of the game to get the Seahawks within one, 9-8, but the Bison answered with goals from Antonison and Smith to take their largest lead of the game, 11-8. Jones and Woods answered with a goal each, but markers from Murphy and Smith gave Nichols a 13-10 lead with 22:33 left in regulation.
 
The two teams alternated goals over the next 17:37, leaving Nichols in front 15-12 with 5:54 to play. Tortorici sent home Salve Regina's final goal of the game on a free position shot with 47 seconds left to close the scoring.
 
The Bison return to action on Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. home contest against CCC foe Curry. The Seahawks travel to Gordon for a noon contest on Saturday.
 
Contributions from Salve Regina sports information