DUDLEY, Mass. (4/25/2025) – It was a historic afternoon at Vendetti Field Saturday, as the No. 4 seeded Nichols College women's lacrosse team defeated No. 5 University of New England in overtime, 14-13, for the program's first ever postseason victory.

2025 is now the winningest campaign for the program all-time, with the Bison improving to 13-3-1 (5-3-1 CNE) on the season. UNE concludes its season with a 7-9-1 (5-3-1 CNE) record.

The Bison saw three players tally four goals in the effort, with Kristen Ruby and Sienna Reeves each adding an assist for five points apiece, and Emma Patton pairing her performance with five draw controls. McKenzie Muir was also a standout performer for the Bison, causing  three turnovers and logging a team-high 11 draw controls.

Briar Slattery (12-3-1) stopped seven shots in the postseason victory.  

UNE opened the scoring early with the game's first two goals, but the Bison scored four unanswered led by two goals from Ruby, and individuals from Patton and Reeves. The Nor'easters were able to land one more goal prior to the end of the frame, cutting Nichols' lead to just one after the opening quarter. The next goal came over five minutes into the second quarter, as Ruby provided the assist to Gabriella Mandirola's 12^th goal of the season at 9:41, spearheading a 3-0 Bison run in the period. Ruby claimed the next pair of goals, scoring them at 9:01 and 5:44 of the frame to complete her five-point performance, while extending Nichols' advantage to 7-3 with 5:00 to play. Following one last UNE goal late, the Bison would hold a 7-4 lead at the break.

Nichols kept their foot on the gas throughout the third, padding their advantage to as many as 11-6, with three more goals from Reeves.  However, the Nor'easters made sure they kept pace with the Bison, rattling off two of the final three goals in the period, bringing themselves back to within four goals at 12-8.

With the momentum swing at the end of the third, UNE stunned the Bison with a 5-1 comeback effort in the fourth, tying the score at 13-13 in the final minute to force overtime.  Then, after a the first of two three-minute OT periods, Hadley Houghton capitalized on a Nichols player-up advantage with 2:25 left and found the back of the net to lift the Bison to their first ever playoff win.

The Bison advance to the 2025 CNE Tournament Semifinal, where they will face top-seeded Endicott College (13-4, 9-0 CNE) on Wednesday, April 30^th at Hemptstead Stadium. The official start time for the contest has yet to be determined.