PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Junior
Emily Santom (Litchfield, N.H.) scored five goals, including a crucial tie-breaking goal midway through the third quarter, as Plymouth State University staved off Bridgewater State University, 16-13, in a non-conference women's lacrosse game under the lights at Panther Field on Tuesday night.
Plymouth State held an 11-6 lead after Santom's third goal of the night with just under three minutes left in the second quarter. Bridgewater State cut the margin to four by the half, then ripped off four straight goals to tie the game five minutes into the third quarter.
Santom had the answer, though, as her fourth tally of the evening gave Plymouth State the lead for good and sophomore goaltender
Piper Sherbert (Freeport, Maine) came up huge down the stretch with five saves in the fourth quarter to earn the win.
Plymouth State improves to 7-3, while Bridgewater State drops to 4-6.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 16, Bridgewater State 13
- Plymouth State (7-3)
- Bridgewater State (4-6)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- The teams traded goals over the first seven minutes before back-to-back scores by Santom gave PSU a 4-2 cushion.
- Senior Devon Mello (Laconia, N.H.) would push the lead to three and the teams alternated scores as Plymouth State held a 6-3 lead after the first.
- Freshman Julia Donovan (Antrim, N.H.) and Mello found the back of the cage to extend the lead to 8-3 five minutes into the second and the teams would go back-and-forth over the next ten minutes with PSU holding an 11-7 lead at the half.
- Bridgewater State came out of the break on fire, scoring three times in the first two minutes to pull within one, 11-10, then adding the equalizer with 10:41 left in the third.
- Santom had the answer two minutes later and junior Amelia Thomas (Hopkinton, N.H.) gave the Panthers a two-goal cushion.
- Bridgewater State pulled within one twice, cutting the deficit to 14-13 with just under eight minutes remaining, but Donovan and Santom went back-to-back and Sherbert made several key saves to the stretch to preserve the lead.
By the Numbers:
- Santom paced the offense with her five goals, while Donovan chipped in three goals and three assists.
- Mello also finished with a hat trick.
- Junior Jalen Cook (Monkton, Vt.) snagged a game-high four ground balls and added a team-best three caused turnovers.
- Sophomore Megan Gaspa (Laconia, N.H.) earned 11 draw controls, while junior Julia Mahoney (Stratford, Conn.) chipped in with six to go along with her two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
- Five of Sherbert's seven saves came in the crucial fourth quarter with the game on the line.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State remains home on Saturday (Apr. 9) for a Little East Conference (LEC) battle with in-state rival Keene State College at 1:00 p.m.
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