Claremont, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer defense allowed only five goals as it never trailed on its way to a narrow 6-5 win over Buffalo State on Tuesday evening. 

With the win, the Sagehens improve to 7-3 on the year, while playing in their sixth one-goal game (3-3). Buffalo State falls to 1-5 with the loss. 

The defensive unit of senior Brenna Gormally (pictured), junior Makayla DeJong, senior Alexa Sarussi and senior Annie Schatz put the clamps on Buffalo State's attack, which scored two of its five goals on free position shots. However, the Bengals also were successful at stopping Pomona-Pitzer at the other end, where Colleen George had nine saves, several on shots in close. 

After the Sagehens took a 2-1 lead into the half, junior Ally McLaughlin, sophomore Rebecca Long and junior Katie Savino scored early in the second stanza to give the Sagehens a 5-2 lead. Buffalo State closed to 5-3, but junior Sarah Markowitz answered with her second to make it 6-3 with 12:08 left. 

Buffalo State closed to within 6-5 on a free position goal from Alanna Herne with 7:03 left and an unassisted tally from Sarah Lorusso with 3:22 to go. The Bengals had one last chance in the final minute, but Schatz stole the ball, and after Buffalo State momentarily regained possession, McLaughlin scooped up a ground ball and earned a clear. Freshman Sallie Marx then ran off the final 30 seconds as Buffalo State chased her but was unable to force a turnover. 

Sophomore goalie Gaby Fukumura had seven saves for the Sagehens, who held a 22-16 edge in shots on the day. Markowitz and Lorusso were the only players with more than one goal, while junior Aubrey Douglass had two assists for Pomona-Pitzer and Herne had two for Buffalo State. 

Pomona-Pitzer is back in action on Saturday, April 4, when it resumes SCIAC play with a road game at Whittier.