Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass.  – The Nichols College women's lacrosse team fell to visiting Western New England, 13-7, in a Commonwealth Coast Conference matchup on a chilly Tuesday afternoon at Vendetti Field.
 
Sophomore Kaitlynn Stevens (Stratford, Conn.) registered a hat-trick over a span of 2:32 while also contributing three assists as the Golden Bears pulled away from the Bison in the first half. Freshman Taylor Scialdone (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) scored a game-best four goals to go along with a helper. Sophomore Jessica Scannapieco (Blue Bell, Pa.) and rookie Tori Cirocco (New Carmel, N.Y.) each found the back of the net twice and freshman Brooke Kumnick (Granby, Conn.) chipped in with a goal and two assists.  Scanniapieco also picked up six draw controls as Cirocco joined Stevens with three.
 
Sophomores Grace Murphy (Montclair, Va.), Erica Antonison (Albertson, N.Y.) and Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) each scored twice for the hosts while Bufis led the Bison with four draw controls and two caused turnovers.
 
Cirocco snapped a 3-3 tie with 12:53 left in the first half to spark a six goal outburst as the Golden Bears claimed a 9-3 advantage after 30 minutes of play. Bufis opened the frame with her 25th goal of the season while Murphy also collected her 25th tally of the year as she led off the second half scoring to end a 21:03 Bison scoring drought. Antonison notched her 25th goal of the campaign less than a minute later while Scialdone potted her 25th as 13:11 remained in the game.
 
Western New England sophomore Emily Castleman (Wilbraham, Mass.) earned the win (6-2) as she stopped all 17 Bison shots on goal over 52:29. Classmate Melissa Perry (Somers, Conn.) went untested in the final 7:31 for the Golden Bears. Bison first-year netminder AnneMarie Fana (Lawrence, Mass.) absorbed the loss (2-6) in a nine save effort.
 
Nichols continues a three-game home stretch on Thursday when the Bison host Smith for a non-conference contest at 7:00 p.m. Western New England begins a three-game homestand with a 4:00 p.m. opening draw against Westfield State on Thursday.