BOX SCORE WALTHAM, Mass. – The nationally ranked No. 7 University of New Haven women's lacrosse team held off a ferocious comeback by Bentley University Saturday afternoon to remain perfect on the season, winning 9-8. The Chargers improve to 8-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Falcons fall to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the NE-10.

Courtney Ackland (Perth, Western Australia/Churchlands) led all players with four points, as the sophomore found the back of the net twice and dished out two assists. Nicole Belanger (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon), Nicole McKee (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) and Kathryn Campbell (Mansfield, Mass./Mansfield) each chipped in with a pair of goals and Corinne Fisher (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) added one tally for New Haven. Marissa Fisher (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) also dished out one assist.
 
In net, Alyssa Gianotti (Monkton, Md./Hereford) made 11 saves for New Haven while yielding eight goals.

New Haven held a 16-12 lead in ground balls and an 11-8 advantage in draw controls, but trailed 36-22 in shots. The Chargers were 13-of-15 on clear attempts, while Bentley went 15-of-17.
 
The Blue and Gold scored the first four goals of the contest as Ackland stayed red hot, firing in an unassisted goal at the 24:29 mark. Belanger increased the lead with her 14^th goal of the season at 21:36 as she received a Marissa Fisher pass and found the net. New Haven would then score two goals in eight seconds as Ackland found McKee for the Chargers third goal at 19:18 and Campbell won the ensuing draw and went the distance, burying her 20^th goal and increasing the lead to 4-0 at the 19:10 mark of the first half.
 
Ellie Shuman got Bentley on the board at the 15:51 mark and Carolyn Kynock cut the UNH lead in half with 7:56 remaining in the first half.
 
Corinne Fisher pushed the New Haven lead back to three as she rifled in a free position shot at 2:14. Ackland then found McKee for the second time and brought the halftime score to 6-2.
 
New Haven struck quickly in the second half as Belanger, again, found the back of the net off a free position shot just 1:18 into the stanza. Ackland increased the score to 8-2 at the 28-minute mark.
 
However, Bentley fought back with goals by Taylor Lunden, Meredith Hart and Hannah Lindgren to make the score 8-5 at the 15:57 mark.
 
Campbell scored the eventual game-winner at 11:28 with her second goal of the game and 21^st of the season.
 
UNH held off a feverous Falcon comeback, as Bentley scored two man-up goals and a third with 2:35 remaining to cut the lead to one. The Chargers won the final draw control, but Bentley registered one more scoring opportunity after a UNH shot was saved by Bentley at the 1:14 mark. The Falcons' final shot sailed wide with 30-seconds on the clock and the Chargers' ran out the clock after grabbing the ground ball.

The Chargers return to action on Wednesday, April 2 when they travel to Syracuse, N.Y. to battle conference foe and nationally ranked No. 4 Le Moyne College. Opening draw is set to for 3 p.m.