BANGOR, Maine - Freshman Averi Baker scored the game-clincher with 33 seconds left in the game to lift Husson University past Salem State University, 15-13, in an evenly matched non-conference women's lacrosse game at John P. Boucher field on Monday afternoon.

The Eagles and the Vikings dueled to four tie scores and fought through seven lead changes while neither team managed to build a lead of greater than four goals.

Senior Sophia Gomez gave Husson (2-2) a 1-0 lead after the midfielder found the back of the net at the 13:37 mark of the first quarter. Back-to-back goals by senior Taylor Sujko at 13:04 allowed Salem State (0-3) to take their first lead of the first half with 8:30 remaining in the opening period. Husson countered with tallies from sophomore Maddy Benoit and Baker to produce a two goal advantage before junior Madison White capped the first quarter scoring with the Eagles clinging to a 4-3 edge.

Senior Devyn Veits kicked off the second stanza scoring at the 14:20 mark, but the Vikings rallied with four unanswered strikes as Sujko capped the surge with her fourth goal of the game and Salem State holding a 7-5 lead with 7:53 before the break.

The Eagles responded with their own three unanswered goal streak as sophomore Natalie Whitten, freshman Laela Martinez and Baker gave Husson a 7-6 lead with 5:36 left in the first half. Senior Jenna Wells found pay dirt at the 2:19 mark to produce the fifth tie of the game before Madison White fired a shot into the back of the Eagle net as the Vikings took a 9-8 lead ten seconds later.

Husson sandwiched intermission with a Beniot goal with three seconds left in the second quarter while Whitten and Benoit scored in the first eight-plus minutes of the third period to left Husson to an 11-9 lead. Sujko tallied her fifth of the game with 6:41 left in the penultimate period, but the Eagles countered with a pair of women-up strikes from Martinez and Baker to close out the third quarter with a three-goal cushion heading into the final stanza of the game.

Whitten pushed the Eagle advantage to four at the 12:41 mark of the fourth quarter before the Vikings proceeded to post another three-goal run spanning over the next ten minutes to cut the Husson lead to one with 2:16 left in the game. However, Baker delivered the game-clincher with 33 seconds remaining on the clock to secure the 15-13 victory for Husson.

Husson held the lead in shots (41-35) and shots on goal (31-22) while Salem State had the advantage in ground balls (31-30).

Sophomore Emily Godfrey (2-2) picked up the win with nine stops in the net for the Eagles. The Vikings' keeper freshman Carson Reidy played very well in the setback with 16 saves.

Baker paced the Husson offensive attack with four goals on seven shots with two assists, two ground ball and one draw control victory. Whitten tallied three goals, an assist and two ground balls. Martinez scored twice with four ground balls, three caused turnovers and three draw control victories. Benoit netted four goals on nine shots with three ground balls, two caused turnovers and three draw control victories. Gomez had a goal and an assist to go along with a ground ball and a team-high four draw control victories. Veits finished with a goal, an assist, four ground balls, a caused turnover, and three draw control victories. Freshman Jory Boyd caused a game-high four turnovers.

Sujko scored a game-high six goals with an assist, six ground balls, and two caused turnovers for Salem State in the setback. White added two goals, four ground balls and a game-high seven draw control victories. Wells scored three goals with a ground ball and a caused turnover.

Husson will travel to Waterville to play NAC-rival Thomas College on Wednesday, March 22nd in a 6 p.m. non-conference game.