The New Jersey Storm rallied from a 9-6 halftime deficit to defeat the Buffalo Bandits, 14-12, in preseason action Friday evening at HSBC Arena.

Scott Stewart led the Storm with a two goals and two assists, including an empty-netter late in the game to clinch the win. Mike Benedict (one goal, three assists), Roy Colsey (two goals, one assist), and newly acquired Mike Morley (two goals) also chipped in.

Deb McAllister Outsider's Guide   New Jersey Storm goaltender Ginny Capicchioni looks for the ball after a Buffalo goal.

The contest also marked a league first when New Jersey goaltender Ginny Capicchioni became the first female to play a game in league history. Capicchioni played the entire second quarter for the Storm, allowing five goals on fourteen shots. She also scooped up three loose balls.

Capicchioni biggest play was a huge save on a John Tavares breakaway with only a few minutes left in the half, stopping the Bandit star on a shot in which he faked low but fired high. The ball caromed off her shoulder pads and bounced harmlessly into the corner.

Derek General played the other three quarters for New Jersey. Steve Dietrich tended the Buffalo goal during the first half, with Corey Quinn and Ken Montour playing fifteen minutes each after intermission.

Former Storm player Kerry Susheski led Buffalo with two goals and two assists, while Mike Accursi recorded two goals and one assist.

However, the story of the game was Capicchioni. An all-star field lacrosse goaltender at Sacred Heart University and a box goalie on amateur men's teams for a year and a half, she is in contention to make the Storm roster this season, fighting for a job with General and and Mike Wye.

What's more, with starting netminder Matt Roik out for a month with a knee injury, Capicchioni could appear in a regular-season game.

Capicchioni's biggest weakness could be her size. At five-foot-four, 135 pounds, she would be one of the NLL's smallest players, stationed at a position where size is such a vital asset.

"If she was six inches taller, I think she could challenge to be the number one goaltender," Brady said. "If she were five-foot-ten, she'd be almost a sure thing to make the club... how she combats [her size] is up to her."

One thing you can be sure of is that Capicchioni won't be looking for any special treatment.

"Thinking about all the excess things [breaking the NLL's gender barrier] can be overwhelming, but I'm most confident on the [floor]," Capicchioni said. "If I make the team, I'll deserve to be there. I've never been on a team in my life when I didn't earn the spot."

"They have high hopes," she added. "They're not going to carry a goalie just for publicity. They're going to want somebody who is going to stop the ball. I wouldn't want to be around [if only to generate publicity for the team]."

Capicchioni is the second woman ever to be invited to an NLL team's training camp. Last year, the Washington Power drafted University of Maryland star Jen Adams and brought her in for a practice session, although that was mostly for publicity.

Outsider's Guide Assistant Editors Scott Neiss and Deb McAllister contributed to this game report.