Bryant drops last-second heartbreaker to Lehigh, 9-8, Saturday to close out non-league play

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team scored a trio of goals in less than two minutes to close a three-goal gap with 2:41 left in the contest, but an Allison LeBeau tally with just 4.5 seconds remaining in regulation lifted visiting Lehigh University over the Bulldogs, 9-8, Saturday at the Bryant Turf Complex.

The Mountain Hawks (6-5) led the Bulldogs (6-3) for nearly the entire contest and found themselves on top by three, 8-5, after a score from Lauren Beausoleil with 5:40 left on the clock. Top offensive threat Emily Columbus (East Northport, N.Y.) responded for the hosts less than 90 seconds later with her first tally of the day, and Bryant capitalized on a Lehigh turnover off the draw shortly after thanks to a Shannon Burns (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) goal that closed the deficit to one, 8-7, with 3:14 left in the tilt.

Columbus would force a turnover from Nicole Isdaner seconds later, and the sophomore would once again capitalize on the miscue, netting her second of the day to knot the game at 8-8 with just 2:41 to go in the contest.

But when Kayleen Kelly came away with the ensuing draw control, the Mountain Hawks would hold possession for one final shot, making it count out of the stick of top scorer LaBeau for the sophomore's fifth goal of the game and second game winner of the season to put the game and Bryant's four-game winning streak on ice.

Burns and Columbus would both finish the game with two goals and one assist to help lead the Black and Gold offense, while junior attack Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, N.Y.) netted three scores in the game for her fourth hat trick of the season.

Junior attack Nicole Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) also chipped in a goal and an assist, with sophomore Shannon Sullivan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) adding a point of her own with a feed to Descalzo in the second half.

Lehigh saw two tallies from Kendall Garden with one apiece from Carli Sukonik and Beausoleil.

The Mountain Hawks opened the scoring five minutes into the game, and while the host Bulldogs tied the game at 1-1 with an unassisted Britton tally 39 seconds later, all the remaining offense of the half would belong to Lehigh. Four-straight Mountain Hawk goals – including a natural hat trick from LaBeau – would send the visitors into halftime with a 5-1 advantage.

Out of the break, the teams traded goals through the opening 11 minutes before consecutive Bryant scores – both from Descalzo – closed the margin to 7-5 in favor of the visitors with 8:03 to play.

Beausoleil would make it 8-5 with 5:40 to go, setting up the dramatic finish in Bryant's final non-conference bout of the season.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs received stellar play from their pair of rookie netminders, with both starter Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) and second-half goalie Daja Andrews (Lumberton, N.J.) posting five saves in 30 minutes of action.

Bryant was also strong off the draw, winning 13-of-19 restarts and posting an 8-4 margin in the second half alone. That charge was led by Burns, who picked up six draw controls on the afternoon.

Lehigh won the margins for shots, 21-15, and ground balls, 15-9, and went 2-for-5 on free position shots. Bryant went 0-for-2 in eight-meter attempts.

The Bulldogs complete 2015 non-conference action with a 6-3 record and will need to shake Saturday's loss quickly in preparation for the start of Northeast Conference action Friday, April 3. Bryant opens its league slate at home against Central Connecticut at 7:00 p.m.