NICHOLS SLIPS BY WOMEN'S LACROSSE IN OT, 12-11

DUDLEY, Mass. – Junior Alyssa Bufis (Linden, N.J.) scored her fourth goal of the game with five seconds left in the first overtime to lift the Nichols College women's lacrosse team to a 12-11 win over Emmanuel College in non-conference action Thursday night at Vendetti Field.

Classmate Grace Murphy (Montclair, Va.) and sophomore Alexa Smith (Salem, N.H.) each potted three goals as the Bison (4-2) are off to their best start through six games in program history. Junior Samantha MacMillan (Bridgewater, Mass.) added a goal and an assist while freshman Katherine Cotton (Kennebunk, Maine) recorded five saves to earn her fourth win of the season.

Sophomore Kristen Tuleja (Mansfield, Mass.) scored four goals to pace the Saints (4-2) while junior Sarah Wootten (Berlin, Md.), sophomore Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.), and freshman Emily Baker (Stratham, N.H.) each netted two goals.

The Bison built an early 4-1 lead behind goals from Smith, Murphy, MacMillan, and freshman Brooke Marion (South Hadley, Mass.). The Saints called timeout following Marion's marker with 8:45 left in the half and proceeded to score three of the next four goals to enter the break trailing 5-4. Baker, Higgins, and Tuleja sparked the run with a goal apiece.

Bufis scored twice in the opening 6:19 of the second half to help Nichols build an 8-5 lead. The Saints finally knotted the score at 10 on a free position shot from Wootten with 8:19 on the clock, and after Bufis gave the Bison an 11-10 lead at 5:45, freshman Kayleigh Rooney (Jamestown, R.I.) evened things up with 1:23 left in regulation.

Bufis scored the only goal of the extra session when she ran down the left side of the field and beat sophomore goalie Lauren White (Lynnfield, Mass.) from a tough angle for the eventual winner.

Nichols outshot Emmanuel 35-28 and forced 27 turnovers, led by MacMillan with three. Juniors Talia Hohmann (Marina, Calif.) and Stephanie Mathewson (Simsbury, Conn.) each collected six ground balls for the Bison while Murphy won three draw controls.

Freshman Juliana Rush (Milton, Mass.) scooped up a team-high four ground balls for the Saints, who also saw Wootten win six draw controls and Higgins cause four turnovers. White finished with 14 saves.

Nichols opens Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play on Saturday when it welcomes Endicott to Dudley for an 11:30 a.m. contest. Emmanuel hosts Albertus Magnus Saturday at 3 p.m.

*Release courtesy of Nichols College Sports Information Dept.