DUDLEY, Mass. – The Curry College women's lacrosse team went goal-for-goal with the Nichols College Bison in the early goings of this Saturday tilt, but broke the game open with a strong second half. The win pushes the Colonels' overall record to 9-7 while improving to 3-4 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The Bison fall to 2-11 on the year while they remain in search of their first league victory at 0-7.

Curry notched the first goal of the game thanks to an Allie Wysocki (Agawam, Mass.) tally just 1:03 into the action. Nichols got right back, though, with a score of their own out of the crosse of Miranda Smith (Methuen, Mass.). The Bison took their first lead of the day after Kirsten Sullivan (Arlington, Mass.) converted a free position opportunity, but the Colonels knotted the score at two thanks to a goal from Sharon Doherty (North Easton, Mass.). The foes would go blow-for-blow, trading goals over the next 20 minutes, tying the score at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, but scores by Andria Torres (Milford, Conn.) and Abby Dubel (Wolfeboro, N.H.) made it 8-6 and gave Curry the first two-goal lead of the day for either side. With four minutes remaining in the first half, Dubel scored once more to open up a 9-6 edge, before Doherty made it 10-6 just 35 seconds later. Over the final three minutes of the first stanza, the teams went back-and-forth once more, but the visitors took an 11-7 advantage into the intermission.

After the break, the Colonels took over in the second half behind a 71.4 save percentage from goalie Jessica Ginaitt (Warwick, R.I.). Leona Stevens (Kingston, Mass.) and Wysocki got the rally started for the visitors with two goals in 12 seconds to make it 13-7. Nichols converted a player advantage thanks to a free position goal from Sullivan. Doherty got it right back, however, with her first of the second frame following a first half hat trick, then assisted both Dubel and Katie Parker (Branford, Conn.) to make the score 16-8. With 12 minutes left to play, Smith netted a game-high fifth goal, but it would not be enough as Stevens and Wysocki once more went back-to-back to again double up the Bison at 18-9, before Stevens struck again with 2:30 remaining in the action. With the clock continuing to run, the Colonels chewed the remaining time to lock up a 19-9 conference victory.

Three Colonels notched four goals in the contest in Doherty, Stevens, and Wysocki. Doherty also registered a game-high six points by adding a pair of assists. Dubel and Parker also turned in hat tricks for Curry with exactly three goals each. Smith grabbed five goals on eight shots, but it fell short as Ginaitt (9-7) picks up the win with eight saves. Emily Eagan (0-11) suffers the loss despite tying her season-high with 22 saves to take the conference lead.

Nichols will try to bounce back on Monday, April 15 as they draw a home game against the Saints of Emmanuel College. The non-conference action will get underway at 5:00 p.m. Curry enters a very important match-up with one game remaining on their schedule, as they are set to host Western New England (WNE) University in a CCC game with plenty of postseason implications. Though WNE will have one conference game to play following their tilt with the Colonels, the winner of this contest will sit in the fourth spot of the conference standings, which is good enough for home field advantage in the first round of the CCC tournament. The Colonels and Golden Bears are scheduled to start things up at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16 as Curry celebrates their Senior Night.

For the latest on Curry Athletics, follow the Colonels via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.