Raiders Suffer Heartbreaker - Visiting Norwich Goal With 43 Seconds to Play Gives Cadets 16 - 15 Win

(Nashua, N.H.) The Rivier Women's Lacrosse team (5 – 11, 3 – 6 GNAC) dropped a razor thin decision 16 – 15 to visiting Norwich University (7 – 8, 3 – 6 GNAC) this afternoon at Raider Field in a GNAC Women's Lacrosse match-up.  The Raiders have secured a bid to the GNAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament.  The loss moves them to the #8 seed in the tournament which opens play this Wednesday. 

Rivier and Norwich traded runs of 2 and 3 goals throughout the 1^st half, with a late three goal run by the visiting Cadets over the final minute and half pushing them ahead 8 to 6 at the halftime break.  In the 2^nd half, Rivier had a 2 goal and 3 goal run over the first 19 minutes to take a 13 – 12 lead with 11:03 to play.  The teams traded goals over the game's final eight minutes, but a two goal burst by Norwich coupled with a final strike for the visitors with just 43 seconds left on the clock was the difference on the day.  Norwich was able to take the GNAC road win with a 16 – 15 victory.    

Rivier was led on the day by Amanda Barton (FR, Pelham, NH), 5 goals, 6 shots on goal, and 2 ground balls; and Lauren Goodspeed (JR, Merrimack, NH), 2 goals, 3 assists, 3 shots on goal, and 5 ground balls.  In goal, Courtney Laperriere (SO, Keene, NH) went the distance and had 18 saves on the day. 

Norwich was paced by Chapel Guarnieri, 8 goals, 1 assist, 11 shots on goal, and 4 ground balls; and Kathryn Albretsen, 6 goals, 1 assist, 10 shots on goal, and 8 ground balls.  The visiting Cadets were backstopped by 11 saves from Lawson Hayes.

The Raiders move on to the GNAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament where they will play at 7:00 pm Johnson & Wales this Wednesday, May 3^rd.  Norwich returns to action on March 3^rd when they travel to St. Joseph's College, ME in GNAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament play.