The Sacred Heart University women's lacrosse team earned its first Northeast Conference win of the season, defeating Central Connecticut State University 6-5 on Campus Field Sunday afternoon.  The win improves the Pioneers to 5-7 overall, 1-0 in league play, while the Blue Devils fall to 3-9 on the year and 0-3 in conference play.

Central built a 3-2 first-half lead over a 6:04 span of the first-half, answering a pair of SHU goals in the first 7:37 of action.  Neither team scored over the final 15:00 of the first-half as the Blue Devils took the one goal advantage into the intermission.

SHU began its comeback with a Liana Doyle tally 6:58 into the second-half, knotting the score, 3-3. Erin Coutts netted a Paige Devine pass with exactly 20:00 to play to put SHU in front 4-3 and Jessyln Joseph scored a free position goal with 13:55 to play for a 5-3 edge.  Central got back within a goal when Madison Hughes scored with 9:26 to play. DeVine recorded her second assist 4:00 later, feeding Kylie Calandra for a 6-4 lead for the Pioneers.

SHU won the ensuing draw, but Central was able to regain possession, leading to a Marissa Soto goal with 3:20 to play. Joseph won that draw for SHU as well, and the Pioneers were nearly able to run out the clock, before Hughes forced a turnover.  After a timeout at midfield, Erin Dougherty drove the middle of the lane and put a shot just wide of the post that was backed up by SHU to secure the win.

Six different Pioneers scored a goal in the win, with DeVine, two assists, and Caitlin Delaney, a goal and an assist, both posting two points.  The SHU defense forced 11 turnovers, three from Delaney, and was backstopped by 10 Kelly Keenan saves. Delaney and Keenan both had four ground balls, as SHU finished with a 17-16 edge in that category. 

Central received a pair of goals from Madison and a goal and an assist from Alexander Hooker.  Hughes recorded three of the Blue Devils nine caused turnovers and had three ground balls.  Morgan Tuller finished with eight saves in goal and had a team-best four ground balls and two caused turnovers.  Soto added a game-high four draw controls for Central.

The Pioneers return to action on Friday, April 17 at NEC foe Mount St. Mary's. Game time is set for 3 p.m.