Springfield, Mass. - April 11, 2015 - A six-point performance from graduate student Kerstin Lindrooth (Bryn Athyn, Pa.) fueled the Springfield College women's lacrosse program to a 9-8 victory over New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC)-rival Wheaton College on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field. 

With the win, Springfield continues its historical season, as it is now 11-2 overall and a perfect 5-0 in conference play. Ranked 20th overall in the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) National Rankings, Springfield gained sole possession of first place in the conference with the victory. With the loss, Wheaton falls to 9-5 overall and 5-1 in the NEWMAC.

Along with six points from Lindrooth, junior attack Bianca Raniolo (Yorktown, N.Y.) posted five points, including two goals and three assists, while Heather Raniolo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) registered a goal and two assists, to go along with five ground balls and two draw controls. Sophomore goalkeeper Gabriella Anderson (Mahopac, N.Y.) was instrumental on the defensive side of the ball for Springfield, as she made seven key stops in the victory. 

For the Lyons, Jenna Tewksbury (Concord, N.H.) and Kelsie Jenquine (Brunswick, Maine) each tallied three points, as Tewksbury finished with three goals, all in the first half, and Jenquine picked up three assists in the loss. In the net for Wheaton, Katy Ananian (Belmont, Mass.) made seven stops and took the loss. 

Overall, Springfield held a 21-17 advantage in shots, while Wheaton held a 23-19 margin in ground balls and posted 11 draw controls to the Pride's eight. 

In the opening minutes of the contest, Jenquine dodged down the middle and found Tewksbury all alone on the crease to open the scoring for the Lyons, before Bianca Raniolo found Lindrooth in front to even the score at one goal apiece with 23:51 remaining in the opening half. Just 22 seconds later, Lindrooth gave the Pride a one-goal advantage after she capitalized on a free-position chance. 

With 15:52 left in the first, Bianca Raniolo found a cutting Lindrooth in the crease again for a quick shot and goal to give the Pride a 3-1 lead, completing the hat trick for the graduate student. 

Just 38 seconds later, Wheaton cut its deficit to one after a goal from Tewksbury off of another nice feed from Jenquine. At the 13:51 mark, Brooke Sabol (Landgrove, Vt.) notched her first goal of the contest after taking a feed from Jenquine and finding the back of the net to even the game at three. 

Wheaton took a 4-3 advantage with 12:45 remaining in the first half, when Tewksbury capitalized on a free-position chance to register her third goal of the contest and give the Lyons a one-goal lead. 

At the 6:19 mark of the first half, Heather Raniolo picked up a loose ball in the middle of the field, before dodging through the Wheaton defense and tucking a shot into the top left corner to even the score at four.

It took just 26 seconds for Springfield to strike in the second half, as Bianca Raniolo carried the ball behind the cage before finding Shelby Corsano (Bourne, Mass.) cutting down the middle for a goal, as the Pride took a 5-4 lead.

At the 27:56 mark, Heather Raniolo found Lindrooth all alone on the crease for her fourth goal of the contest, as the Pride extended its lead to a pair, before Madison Cohen (East Lyme, Conn.) scored on a free-position chance to cut the Lyons' deficit to one with 24:50 remaining. 

After picking up a loose ball in the crease, Heather Raniolo found Bianca Raniolo on the crease, who banked a shot off the right post and into the back of the net to give the Pride a two-goal lead with 19:38 remaining. Just one minute later, Kristina Krull (Leicester, Mass.) gave the Pride its biggest lead of the afternoon after finishing off a feed from Lindrooth to give Springfield an 8-5 lead with 18:38 left. 

The Lyons cut its deficit to two when Sabol found Angela Mallis (Falmouth, Maine) on the crease who tucked a shot into the bottom right corner of the net to make it 8-6 with 16:48 left in the contest.

With just under 11:00 remaining in the contest, Lindrooth picked up a ball in the defensive zone and cleared the ball the length of the field, before dishing a pass to Bianca Raniolo at the last second for a point-blank finish to give the Pride a 9-6 lead. 

With the advantage, Wheaton brought Springfield's lead back to a pair when Melanie Sharick (Amherst, Mass.) took a pass from Allie Bush (Kennebunk, Maine) and buried a shot with 9:07 left in the contest. 

Coming out of a timeout, Bush found a cutting Mallis with 2:19 remaining, who found the back of the net to cut Springfield's lead to just one. Springfield was able to fend off the late rally from the Lyons, and escaped with the 9-8 victory.

Springfield will return to action on Wednesday, April 15 when it will travel to Smith College to take on the Pioneers at 7 p.m.