BOX SCORE

When and Where: March 30, 2016 – No. Andover, Mass. (Martone-Mejail Field)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 16, Merrimack College 14
Records: Le Moyne 3-5 (0-4 Northeast-10), SNHU 6-3 (3-3 Northeast-10)

Sophomore Alexa Bedell (Londonderry, N.H.) notched eight points as the Southern New Hampshire University women's lacrosse team pulled out a 16-14 victory against Merrimack College on Wednesday at Martone-Mejail Field.

Bedell matched her career high in points as she scored four goals and handed out a career-best four assists. Freshman Kristin Wilder (Framingham, Mass.) scored a team-high five goals, while junior Ellen Decker (Foxborough, Mass.) notched five points on a pair of tallies and three helpers. Classmate Casey Duggan (Framingham, Mass.) potted a pair of goals and dished an assist for three points.

Wilder broke the ice 1:17 into the contest when she scored off a feed from senior Alexa Allen (E. Longmeadow, Mass.), but Merrimack scored four straight to grab a 4-1 lead with 22:50 remaining in the opening half. The teams then alternated goals twice as the Warriors maintained their three-goal lead with less than 15 minutes to go, but a strike from Wilder and two from Bedell pulled the Penmen even at 6-6.

Bedell then fed Wilder for a goal that closed the scoring at 3:09 and answered a Merrimack tally 1:40 earlier to send the game to the break, tied at seven.

Merrimack came out and scored five of the first six goals of the second half – with Hunter McCarthy having a hand in four of them – to open up a 12-8 advantage with 19:01 left. Southern New Hampshire responded in a huge way, however, scoring eight straight goals over the ensuing 13-plus minutes to seize a 16-12 lead with 5:34 on the clock. Duggan led the way with two goals and an assist during the stretch, while Bedell contributed a goal and two helpers. Wilder chipped in a pair of goals.

With less than two minutes remaining, Amber Feminella scored a pair of goals within a minute of each other, but Merrimack would never get another shot off.

Notes:
-The Penmen have matched the 2009 team, which began the season 9-3, for the best nine-game start to a campaign.
- Junior goalkeeper Nicole Kennedy (Windham, Maine) made 10 saves, while Alexa Petzold turned away 14 shots for Merrimack over the opening 50:37. Lauren Trepaney did not stop either shot she faced during the final 9:23.
-Southern New Hampshire narrowly outshot Merrimack, 29-28, including 16-12 in the second half, while the Warriors held a 17-15 edge in draw controls.
-Bedell owns a six-game point streak, during which she has amassed 20 goals and nine assists for 29 points.
- Wilder scored five goals in a game for the sixth time this season and leads the Northeast-10 in goals (37).
-In addition to pacing the league in goals, Wilder also ranks second in points (40), with Bedell right behind in third with 39. Allen is second in assists (19). Kennedy is leading the conference with 93 saves, is tied for second in wins (6) and ranks third in save percentage (.495).

Up Next:
The Penmen are back in action Monday, April 4 (4 p.m.) when they take a break from conference play to take on Molloy College. The next home game for the Penmen is Saturday, April 9 (1 p.m.) when they play host to Franklin Pierce University at Larkin.

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