Norton, Mass. – March 26, 2011 – Nicole Soucie’s goal with just over 17 minutes left in regulation proved to be the game-winner as the Springfield College women’s lacrosse team picked up a hard-fought 8-7 win at Wheaton College in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday.

Held to single digits in scoring for the first time this spring, Springfield raised its record to 4-1, while Wheaton falls to 2-3 on the season.

    Pride sophomore Allie Davis found the back of the net three times, including twice off free-position shots, while senior Meagan Dobson and junior Jenna Bugbee added a goal and an assist.  Freshman goalkeeper Anne Versprille finished with nine stops.

Junior Hailey Colburn paced the hosts with three first-half goals, senior Tess Meyer tacked on two tallies and one assist, while freshman Charlotte DeSantis had a goal and a helper.  Senior goalie Marianna Marcellino posted nine saves in the loss.

  Neither team led by more than two goals during today’s nip-and-tuck contest, as Wheaton and Springfield exchanged the game’s first five tallies, with the Lyons holding a 3-2 at the 19:50 mark of the opening half.  DeSantis’ goal at 16:16 made the score 4-2 before the Pride rattled off three unanswered tallies over 5:23 for a 5-4 edge, as Davis twice scored during the spurt.  Each team tallied once more in the waning minutes of the half for a 6-5 score in Springfield’s favor.

  Davis picked up a hat trick 3:38 into the second frame to give the Pride a 7-5 lead, but Wheaton junior Sydney Ferguson responded by converting a feed from Meyer at 21:46.  Soucie scored what turned out to be the game-winner with 17:33 left, while Meyer tallied the contest’s final goal 1:30 later, as the Pride ran a stall in the final few minutes of regulation to seal the win.

The Pride are next in action on Tuesday evening when it travels to square off against 18th-ranked Amherst for a 7:00 pm game.