WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior Beth Gendron (Tyngsboro/Tyngsboro HS) scored four goals and tallied her 100th career point to lead Bentley in a 17-1 rout of American International in Northeast-10 Conference women's lacrosse action on Friday night at the Bentley lacrosse field. After the regular season finale for both teams, the Falcons end the regular season at 7-9 overall and 6-4 in conference play and will await tomorrow's results to find out if they will be traveling to Merrimack or Bryant to open the NE-10 Tournament on Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets concluded a winless campaign at 0-16 overall and 0-10 in the league.

Sophomore Christina Guglielmo (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven HS) made eight saves in goal to back up Bentley's best defensive effort since a 19-1 win over Franklin Pierce two years ago. The Falcons' defense allowed only 11 shots in all and nine shots on goal.

Gendron was one of three Falcons to post five-point efforts, all seniors playing in their final regular season game on the Bentley turf. Liz Goddard (Acton/Acton-Boxborough HS) netted three goals and added two assists, while Bridget Fitzgerald (Winchester/Winchester HS) registered two goals and three assists. Senior defender Katie Ritchie (North Andover/North Andover HS) also had a memorable Senior Night, scoring her first collegiate goal late in the first half.

The outcome of the game was rarely in doubt after the Falcons came out of the gate with a pair of quick goals from junior Alyssa Ritchie (North Andover/North Andover HS) and Gendron, the latter of which was the eventual game-winning goal coming in the opening minute of play. Gendron then notched her 100th point to make it 3-0 and Bentley never looked back, building a 14-0 lead by halftime.

Guglielmo's bid for just the second shutout in Bentley history was spoiled with just over 12 minutes to go in the second half when junior Jessica Scearbo (Arlington) set up senior Caitlin Mooney (Wilbraham), who scored AIC's lone goal.

Juniors Kim Morris (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs HS) and Kim White (Glen Head, N.Y./Friends Academy) also tallied a goal and an assist each for Bentley.

If Saint Michael's beats Southern Connecticut State on Saturday, Bentley will be the sixth seed in the conference tournament and open the playoffs at Bryant. If the Owls win, Bentley will move up to the fifth seed and open at Merrimack. Wednesday's first-round games are slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.

2008-04-25