ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – Roberts Wesleyan College women's lacrosse coach Kristin Paolini has been around the game for her entire life and has never seen a player do what Madison Bell did on Saturday.
Bell, a senior attack, scored four goals in the final 40 seconds of the second quarter to spark the Redhawks to a 13-11 victory over host Molloy College in an East Coast Conference game.
Bell's outburst included a free position woman-up goal with 40 seconds left, she then converted three feeds from Sophia Podszebka into goals with 20 seconds, 6 seconds and 0.7 second remaining in the half.
Roberts (7-3, 3-0 ECC), which took an early 5-0 lead, went from clinging to a 5-3 edge to re-establishing control with a 9-3 advantage at the break.
"The momentum had shifted," said Paolini, who is in her seventh season as coach of the Redhawks. "We challenged our team to get it back and Maddie took it into her own hands to get us back into a good situation. She has so much love for the game and such a passion for winning."
Bell, who leads the ECC in both goals (47) and points (72) this season, finished with six goals and two assists. Podszebka added two goals, four assists and 13 draw controls.
Podszebka, who scored three goals in a win over Saint Thomas Aquinas College on Sunday, established career-highs for assists, points and draw controls.
"She did phenomenal for us on draw controls and brought that confidence into the offensive end today," Paolini said.
Senior Ellen O'Neil added two goals and an assist and Alexis Grant, Caitlin Harding and Lindsey Brinkel also scored for Roberts. Senior Natalie Arieno made 11 saves.
Roberts, which is ranked 13th in NCAA Division II by USA Lacrosse Magazine and No. 16 by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association, returns to action at 5 p.m. Tuesday for a non-conference game at Redhawks Field.