BUFFALO, NY -- The RIT (2-3) women's lacrosse team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 15-9 win at Buffalo State (2-4) on Thursday afternoon. Five Tigers scored two or more goals led by Emily Livecchi (Rochester, NY/Our Lady of Mercy), who tallied four goals. 

Livecchi and Sammy Ward (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) led the Tigers with five points apiece. Ward finished with three goals and two assists, while Livecchi added an assist to her four goals. Sage Sarkis (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) tallied four points on three goals and an assist, and Maegen Schmauder scored three goals. Corrina Mandell (Corning, NY/Corning East) scored two goals and added seven draw controls.

Freshman Sophia Wojnovich (Manlius, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) picked up her first collegiate win in net, making nine saves. RIT's defense held the Bengals to nine goals, causing 12 turnovers. Schmauder led RIT with five scaused turnovers, while Sarkis added three. 

"It was a well-balnced effort," said RIT head coach Jeff McGuigan. "We out in a tremdous effort all over the field, but especially between the '30's'."

Shots were 28-23 in favor of RIT, while ground balls were even at 18-18. The Tigers dominated draws, winning 17-of-26 draw controls. RIT committed 17 fouls, went 11-of-12 on clearing attempts and converted 2-of-7 free position attempts.

Buffalo State led early in the game, taking a 4-2 lead on a free position goal by Christina Krowel at the 17:15 mark of the half. She and Sarah Larusso combined to score the first four goals of the game for the Bengals. 

RIT responded with three straight goals, taking a 5-4 lead on Mandell's second of the game at the 14:04 mark. Ward and Livecchi also scored in the run as the Tigers offense woke up.

After an Alanna Herne goal tied the score at 5-5, the Tigers ran off three more goals, taking an 8-5 lead on Ward's second goal of the half. Livecchi took a pass from Ward at 11:16 to start the run, while Livecchi took the ball to the net on her own at 9:24 givng the Tigers a 7-5 lead.

Krowel scored from Lorusso at 7:57 to cut the RIT lead to 8-6, but the Tigers offense kept up the pressure. Schmauder scored off an assist from Livecchi at the 7:11 mark, and Livecchi scored her fourth goal of the half with 22 seconds remaining in the half to give the Tigers a 10-6 lead.

The Tigers defense took over in the second half, holding the Bengals to three goals. Wojnovich keyed the RIT defense, making seven of her nine saves in the second half.

After Buffalo State cut the lead to 10-7 early in the second half, Schmauder converted a free position attempt at 21:34 making it 11-7 Tigers. Herne scored an unassisted goal at the 19:06 mark, but Sarkis tallied two straight for RIT to extend the Tigers lead to 13-8 on her third of the game with 12:32 to play.

Herne tallied the Bengals final goal with 9:36 to play, and Ward and Schmauder tacked on two late goals to make it a 15-9 final.

Herne led Buffalo State with four goals. Lorusso tallied two goals and added two assists, while Krowel scored three goals. Elyse Stark took the loss in net, making five saves.

RIT returns to action on Monday, March 21 when the Tigers face Williams College at 11 a.m. in Clermont, Fla.