BOX SCORE
RAPID REACTION WITH SENIOR ADRIANNA FRATTASIO

When and Where: April 23, 2016 – Manchester, N.H. (Larkin Field)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 21, American International College 15
Records: SNHU 11-4 (7-4 Northeast-10), AIC 8-7 (5-6 Northeast-10)

Freshman Kristin Wilder (Framingham, Mass.) became the highest scoring freshman in program history as she and sophomore Alexa Bedell (Londonderry, N.H.) each registered seven points to lead the Southern New Hampshire University women's lacrosse team to a 21-15 slugfest victory against American International College on Saturday afternoon at Larkin Field. The win clinches SNHU's first Northeast-10 Championship berth since the 2011 season as the crucial victory gives the Penmen separation in the standings and control of their own destiny for the No. 5 seed.

Wilder matched her career high with seven goals as she surpassed Sherry Darrell's 71 points from 2008 for most ever by a freshman. Bedell scored twice and handed out a career-best five assists. Junior Ellen Decker (Foxborough, Mass.) scored four times, while senior Alexa Allen (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) also recorded four points with three goals and an assist. Freshman Marisa McLaughlin (New Milford, Conn.) potted three goals.

Bedell's five assists all came in the opening 19:23 as she helped stake Southern New Hampshire to a 7-1 lead. Wilder scored four times during the stretch, while Allen began the scoring, with juniors Casey Duggan (Framingham, Mass.) and Decker adding tallies.

AIC scored two straight to pull within four, but Allen contributed a goal and an assist during a three-goal run for the Penmen that stretched the advantage to 10-3. Wilder answered a Yellow Jacket goal with her fifth of the half with just six seconds left to give her the record and send SNHU to the locker room with an 11-4 lead.

AIC potted five of the second half's first eight goals to trim its deficit to 14-9 at the 17:26 mark, but Decker bookended a 4-1 run with goals to make it 18-10 with 11:31 remaining. The Yellow Jackets would end the second half the way they began it – by scoring five of the next eight goals – but it was too little and too late.

Notes:
- The Penmen keep pace with the 2009 team, which began the season 11-4, for the best 15-game start to a campaign.
- The 11 wins are the most in a season for the program since it went 13-5 during the 2009 campaign.
- SNHU has captured nine of its last 12, including six of its last seven.
- Southern New Hampshire clinches no worse than the No. 7 seed in the upcoming conference tourney by virtue of holding the tiebreaker over four of the five teams behind them in the standings.
- The 21 goals for the Penmen match their season high from a 21-1 triumph against Dominican (N.Y.) College on March 5, while the 36 combined goals are the most in a Southern New Hampshire contest since SNHU dropped a 26-10 decision at Stonehill College on April 18, 2002.
- Junior goalkeeper Nicole Kennedy (Windham, Maine) stopped 10 of the 21 shots she faced over the opening 55:31, while freshman Leah Olansky (Bennington, Vt.) played the final 4:29 and did not record a save. Alexis Torosian piled up 11 saves for the Yellow Jackets.
- Southern New Hampshire outshot American Int'l, 43-28, including 22-9 in the first half, while the Yellow Jackets held a 21-15 advantage in draw controls.
- Bedell owns a 12-game point streak, during which she has amassed 36 goals and 21 assists for 57 points.
- Wilder, who is now just two goals shy of matching the program's single season record, leads the Northeast-10 in goals (68), while ranking third in points (74).
-Bedell ranks fourth in assists (25) fifth in points (67), while Allen is fifth in assists (24). Kennedy is leading the conference with 172 saves and a save percentage of .517, while ranking third in wins (11).

Up Next:
The next home game for the Penmen is Wednesday, April 27 (4 p.m.) when they take on the University of New Haven. The next and final regular-season home game for the Penmen is Saturday, April 30 (1 p.m.) when they play host to Southern Connecticut State University on Senior Day at Larkin Field.

For the latest on Southern New Hampshire University athletics, follow the Penmen via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and Instagram. Sign up to receive text message alerts and e-mail newsletters about your favorite Penmen teams here.