SAINT LEO, Fla. – Sophomore attack Jana Nuss gave the Saint Leo University women's lacrosse team a lead with just 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on Thursday night. The Lions' 16-15 win over #14 Bentley avenged an overtime loss nearly a year ago. Sophomore goalie Jessica Harclerode made nine saves as Saint Leo improved to 5-3 on the season while Bentley dropped to 1-2.

The Lions saw nine players team up for 16 goals as Nuss led the Lions attack with four goals. Fiona McLaughlin had three goals and Maria Palomba and Sophia Wood added a pair of goals each. Emma Hayhurst, Cassidy Passaro, Briana Bellando, Natalie Jones, and Delaney Gilchrist also found the back of the net.

The game saw seven ties as well as seven lead changes including three lead changes in the final quarter of play. During the game, the Lions never led by more than two goals and trailed by as many as three twice.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons got on the board first breaking the scoreless tie at the 11:35 mark of the first quarter.
• Saint Leo took its first lead of the game at 2-1 as Maria Palomba and Jana Nuss scored 31 seconds apart.
• Fiona McLaughlin gave the home team a 4-3 lead with 97 seconds left in the opening quarter.
• It was looking like the Lions were set to take a 4-3 lead into the second quarter but Bentley's Caitlin Keenan had different plans as she found the back of the net with just one second remaining in the first quarter.
• The visitors used the momentum from the late first quarter goal to open the second quarter with back-to-back goals just nine seconds apart. McLaughlin's second goal of the night pulled the Lions within one making it at 6-5 game in favor of Bentley.
• Sophia Wood and Palomba scored goals less than a minute apart midway through the second quarter making it an 8-7 game as the Lions trailed.
• Bentley scored its ninth goal of the night with 2:38 left in the first half. The Falcons scored 58 seconds into the second half gaining its largest lead of the night at 10-7. The third quarter saw the two teams trade goals as the Lions quietly chipped away at the Falcons lead.
• The Lions scored three straight goals in the final five minutes of the third quarter to tie the game at 12-12. Natalie Jones scored the Lions 12th goal of the game with just 44 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
• Caroline Affolter opened the final quarter with the Falcons 13th goal to take what proved to be their final lead of the night at the 14:20 mark.
• The Lions began a 3-0 run to turn a 13-12 deficit into a 15-13 lead as McLaughlin tied the game at 13 all and Nuss capitalized on a yellow card to the Falcons and scored the first of her two women up goals.
• After a Delaney Gilchrist goal at 11:15, Bentley scored its own back-to-back goals to tie the game at 15-15.
• Following just the second penalty of the game, Nuss buried a women up free position chance to score the game-winning goal with 28 seconds left in the game.
• The Lions won the final draw control of the game to bring the ball down the field and allow the clock to expire for the victory over #14 Bentley.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Saint Leo won its second game over a ranked opponent in 2024 and improved to 2-1 against ranked opponents this season. The win over #14 was the highest victory over a ranked opponent since the Lions defeated #12 Embry-Riddle 14-12 in Daytona Beach on April 24, 2022.
• Seven points marked a career-high for Jana Nuss.
• Saint Leo picked up 22 ground balls to 20 by Bentley.
• The Lions converted four of ten free-position shots for goals to two of five by the Falcons.
• Saint Leo had 15 of 17 successful clears and was a perfect 12-for-12 from the second quarter on. Bentley was 12-for-14 on clears.
• The Falcons out shot the Lions 45-29.

UP NEXT
The Lions will look to extend their winning streak to four games when they make the trip down US Highway 98 to take on Florida Southern to open conference play. The opening draw in Lakeland is set for 6 p.m.