University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Brown
Lacrosse Loses OT Heartbreaker to Brown on Saturday, 14-13
3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
March 21, 2009
STORRS, Conn. - For the first time since the 2007 season, the University of Connecticut lacrosse team (0-9, 0-1) was forced into overtime at George J. Sherman-Family Sports Complex. Despite a season-high scoring effort from the Huskies, Brown surpassed UConn in overtime 14-13.
The first goal of the game from a free-position shot by M.E. Lapham (Cazenovia, N.Y.) less than three minutes into the contest. Brown (4-2, 1-0) pulled ahead by one with a pair of goals before the Huskies scored four unanswered goals in the first half. Whitney Michele (East Rochester, N.Y.) netted her 21st of the season followed by a trio of UConn freshman hitting the back of the net.
Brown's Kaela McGilloway snapped the spree with her second of the game. The Huskies led 5-3 midway through the first half.
Kiersten Tupper (Camillus, N.Y.) capped of her second career hat trick at 19:22 in the second half to put UConn ahead 9-7. A mere six seconds later she scored again off a pass from Jillian Cerar (Massapequa, N.Y.). Cerar took the ball straight into the Brown zone after winning the draw control. On the following play, Michele won the draw control and scored with just over 18 minutes remaining in the second half.
The three goal-run forced Brown to take its second timeout, trailing to the Huskies 11-7. Out of the time out McGilloway scored to bring the Bears within three goals behind UConn, 11-8. Anna Wallingford (Littleton, Colo.) made a quick save with the stick on Nunn and denied Brown's Kelly Robinson a free-position goal. Wallingford was unable to stop the next free-position shot as Katelyn Caro cut the deficit to two goals (11-9) with less than 10 minutes to play.
Wallingford denied Paris Waterman the game-tying goal with eight and half minutes on the clock. Cerar netted her second of the day of a dish from Katy Ryan (Hamburg, N.Y.) to put UConn ahead by two goals at 7:24. The Huskies led 12-10.
Brown forced a turnover in the Connecticut zone and took in the length of the field. Robinson tied the game for Brown 12-12 with 17 seconds on the clock. The Bear's desperation shots went wide as time expired and UConn entered its first overtime since the 2007 season.
The Bear's scored once in the first overtime session with Caro pulling Brown ahead 13-12 with 11 seconds remaining in the first overtime. After the team's switched goals, the Huskies tied the game for the third time. Lapham answered with her fourth goal of the game at 1:26. With the game tied, 13-13, Ryan was unable to capitalize on a late second free-position attempt. In sudden victory overtime, Lauren Vitkus scored the gamewinner for Brown. Vitkus hit the back of the net with 43 seconds remaining in the third overtime.
Wallingford finished with 13 saves while the Huskies were led in scoring by Tupper's four goals. Lapham recorded a hat trick for the third time this season and was joined by Michele who had three points from a pair of goals and an assist.
The Huskies face their second BIG EAST opponent of the 2009 season with a 1 p.m. game vs. Cincinnati on March 27. The first 100 fans to arrive at Sherman Sports Complex on Saturday will receive a free UConn giveaway. This is the first time Connecticut will face the Bearcats in lacrosse in program history.
