BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo State women's lacrosse team were defeated in their season finale, 9-8, by the Fredonia Blue Devils in this season's 'Battle by the Lake' matchup.   

GAME BASICS

FINAL SCORE: Fredonia - 9, Buffalo State - 8
LOCATION: Coyer Field – Buffalo, NY
RECORDS: Buffalo State: 9-7 (4-5 SUNYAC), Fredonia: 9-8 (5-4 SUNYAC)

INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Vanessa Willick (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville East) led the Bengals with five points, scoring three goals and two assists. Kira Grzechowiak (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West) added three goals, and Emilee Josker (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) contributed a goal and an assist.
• Josker now ranks fourth all-time for career goals in Buffalo State women's lacrosse, surpassing Christina Krowel's 149 with 150.
• Willick led the defense with four caused turnovers, five draw controls, and six groundballs.
• Brielle Lum (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) and Moira Penot (Clifton Heights, PA/Upper Darby) each saw time in net. Penot led all players with 13 saves, setting a career high.
• The Blue Devils outshot the Bengals 24-17 and led in draw controls 11-8.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a three-game road stretch, the Bengals returned home aiming to close their regular season with a win over rival Fredonia in the 'Battle by the Lake.'
• The first quarter began slowly, thanks to early turnovers from both teams, which limited offensive action. Nonetheless, the Bengals struck first, netting back-to-back goals to seize momentum with an early two-goal lead. As the Bengals' defense rose to the challenge and stifled the Blue Devils on offense, the team added another goal late in the quarter, heading into the second period ahead by three.
• Holding momentum, the Bengals sought to carry their strong play into the second quarter. However, the Blue Devils answered quickly with a goal in the opening minutes, then notched another midway through the period—shifting momentum away from the Bengals. The Bengals replied with a goal to restore a two-goal lead, but the Blue Devils launched a three-goal run and took their first lead of the game. In the dying moments of the half, the Bengals found the net, resulting in a 5-5 halftime tie.
• After halftime, both sides regrouped; the Blue Devils quickly scored to open the third quarter. Pressure mounted as both teams forced mistakes, creating tough possessions throughout the period. Despite strong opportunities for the Blue Devils, the Bengals struck back with a tying goal. In the final half-minute, the Bengals regained the lead, entering the fourth quarter ahead by one.
• In the fourth quarter, the Blue Devils struck early, bringing the score level once more. This momentum shift favored the Blue Devils, who then scored again with under seven minutes left to reclaim the lead. A Bengals goal tied the heated contest with five minutes remaining, as each team pushed to finish 'Battle by the Lake' in regulation. Costly Bengals penalties soon provided the Blue Devils with a player advantage, culminating in the game-winning goal with less than three minutes left. Though the Bengals made a final push, their effort fell short. Overtime was forced, and the Bengals lost their regular-season home finale.

FOR THE FOES

• Mieley Baran led the Blue Devils with three points: two goals and one assist. Leah Kunisch scored two goals, including the game-winner.
• Jessica Kowalski recorded nine saves in net for the Blue Devils.

UP NEXT
The Bengals clinched the sixth seed in the SUNYAC Championship tournament and will play a First-Round matchup at New Paltz this Saturday, April 25. Game time will be finalized tomorrow.