BIDDEFORD — Kim Bilodeau put the finest point possible on UNE’s nervy 15-13 women’s lacrosse win over TCCC rival Curry College, Monday.

“I just think we wanted this game more than they did,” said the Nor’easter senior attack. “End of story.”

The end of it, or perhaps just a part of it.

There were, after all, subplots aplenty.

The first chapter was UNE’s determination to keep its TCCC mark (now 5-0, 7-1 overall) unblemished, as well as

maintain its share (with Endicott) of the conference lead.

Then there was the heat brought on by the Colonels, directly below UNE in the TCCC standings.

Having trailed 11-5 at halftime, Curry stormed back to within a goal, 14-13, with 3:19 left in the game.

And although UNE led from the game’s opening minute, it took Jenna Barton’s goal in the final minute to allow the Nor’easters to breathe easily.

“It’s awesome,” said UNE senior co-captain Ginny Lee. “Especially fighting for a win against Curry, because it brings us some much closer together. Going through adversity.”

Adversity has been a constant companion of the program through much of the last decade.

The Nor’easters have suffered through four straight losing seasons, and six of their last seven.

Now they’re two wins shy of their best TCCC record ever ”“ with half the season remaining ”“ and UNE is set on savoring every moment of this season.

“I think we’re taking it one game at a time,” said Lee. “Today was a great win, and we’ll enjoy it. Then we’re back at it, Wednesday.”

Against Endicott, on the road, no less.

Then again, UNE has already hit upon the secret of success, which is what carried them past Curry.

“I think we emphasized working as a team,” said UNE second year coach Sue Frost. “I think that’s our biggest strength. We use each other, and we make things happen together.”

Barton, a sophomore attack from Wolfeboro, N.H., gave the Nor’easters the lead exactly 1 minute into the contest, when she barged down the middle and flipped the ball past Colonels’ goalie Maria Lynch.

As she was putting the ball away, Barton took a stick in the head from Curry’s Nicole Fratto, and on the ensuing man advantage, Danielle Cate fired in the first of her four goals to make it 2-0.

The UNE lead expanded to 5-1, and later, the Nor’easters scored four straight goals to finish the half.

“We were just seeing the cuts in the center,” said Bilodeau, “and making great passes. Making things happen.”

The Colonels, however, weren’t willing to fold.

Top scorer Ashley Hansbury led Curry on a rousing comeback as she notched four of her six goals in the second half.

The last of those came in the final four minutes and sliced the once-hefty UNE lead to just one goal.

Still, the Nor’easters managed to keep victory from fleeing their grasp.

“We had a little rough time in the second half,” said Frost. “That shook us up a little bit. But we always (came) back and pulled together. That’s our strength.”

— Contact Staff Writer Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.