ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Ella Dossier picked the perfect time to score the first goal of her college career.
Dossier, a freshman from Webster, N.Y., converted a feed from graduate student Tori Lammes to score a man-up goal with 17.3 seconds remaining as the Roberts Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team rallied for an 8-7 victory over The College of Saint Rose in a non-conference game on Monday afternoon.
"I knew that we were man-up and Tori was running behind the goal with the ball," Dossier said. "I looked at her, we flipped positions and I just back cut to the front and one-timed it right in."
The goal allowed the Redhawks (3-3) to overcome a four-goal, second-quarter deficit and snap a two-game losing streak.
Dossier, who leads Roberts with eight assists this season, said she barely had time to think as the winning play unfolded and her shot found its way into the top corner of the goal.
"I saw that (the goalie's) stick was in the opposite corner, so I just tapped it in," Dossier said. "I barely caught it."
"She has been the little spark that we have needed," Roberts coach Kristin Paolini said. "Sometimes you just need the confidence to do something and today she came through."
Graduate student Alexis Grant led the Redhawks with three goals and sophomore Emma Blumenstock added two goals, an assist and four draw controls. Lammes and Dossier each finished with a goal and an assist and sophomore Annie Mulhall scored once.
Roberts trailed 6-2 with 12:30 remaining in the first half and clawed its way back into the game by holding Saint Rose to one goal in the final 42:30.
Grant scored with 11:43 remaining in the second quarter and Roberts, which failed to convert its share of good scoring opportunities, relied on its defense to keep the Golden Knights within reach.
"I thought that the defense was a huge contributor to helping the offense find its spark," Paolini said. "They kept doing their jobs and by doing that they allowed the offense time to figure things out."
The Redhawks outscored Saint Rose 5-1 in the second half and did not allow the Golden Knights to register a shot in the fourth quarter. Roberts also forced five turnover and won 7 of 10 draw controls to pull within 7-5 after three quarters.
"Coming off of two losses (to nationally ranked LeMoyne and Assumption), that gave us some added motivation to win this game," junior defender Madelyn Robinson said. "I like to say that a lot of little things add up to big things."
Graduate student Shay DeRoo led Roberts with three caused turnovers while Robinson and freshman Emma Taylor both caused two. Taylor led Roberts with five ground balls and sophomore Shawna Lesmireses made five saves.
Blumenstock scored an unassisted goal with 13:20 to play to pull Roberts within a goal and Mulhall netted the equalizer off an assist from Blumenstock with 9:51 remaining, setting the stage for Dossier's late heroics.
"I think that as a team we are very aware of our strengths and weaknesses and we knew that we needed to come out in the second half and play with fire," Paolini said. "They did not want to lose this game."
Roberts, which is in the midst of a four games in eight days stretch, returns to action at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday against Gannon University on Redhawk Field.